6.0 Measures and Procedures for Working with Lead

• Issued: September 2004
• Content last reviewed: April 2011

Protective measures and procedures should be implemented when working with lead. Specific measures and procedures will depend on how the work is classified. This section of the guideline outlines general measures and procedures for all work with lead, followed by specific recommendations for Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 operations.

6.1 General Measures and Procedures for Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 Operations

The following is a list of general measures and procedures that should be followed for all work with lead:

• washing facilities consisting of a wash basin, water, soap and towels should be provided and workers should use these washing facilities before eating, drinking, smoking or leaving the project;
• workers should not eat, drink, chew gum or smoke in the work area;
• drop sheets should be used below all lead operations which produce or may produce dust, chips, or debris containing lead;
• dust and waste should be cleaned up and removed by vacuuming with a HEPA filter equipped vacuum;
• clean-up after each operation should be done to prevent lead contamination and exposure to lead;
• dust and waste should be cleaned up at regular intervals and placed in a container that is:
• dust tight
• identified as containing lead waste
• cleaned with a damp cloth or a vacuum equipped with a HEPA filter immediately before being removed from the work area
• removed from the workplace frequently and at regular intervals;
• the work area should be inspected daily at least once to ensure that the work area is clean; and
• compressed air or dry sweeping should not be used to clean up any lead-containing dust or waste from a work area or from clothing.

6.2 Measures and Procedures for Type 1 Operations

Respirators should not be necessary if the general procedures (above) are followed. However, any worker who requests a respirator should be provided with a half-mask particulate respirator with N-, R- or P-series filter, and 95, 99 or 100% efficiency.

6.3 Measures and Procedures for Type 2 Operations

Preparation of the Work Area

For all Type 2 operations, signs should be posted in sufficient numbers to warn of the lead hazard. There should be a sign, at least, at each entrance to the work area. The signs should display the following information in large, clearly visible letters:

1. There is a lead dust, fume or mist hazard.
2. Access to the work area is restricted to authorized persons.
3. Respirators must be worn in the work area.

Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment

Suitable protective clothing and equipment, as recommended in Section 4.3, should be worn by every worker who enters the work area.

Where lead-containing paints or coatings are being applied by spraying, all workers in the work area should wear a powered air purifying respirator equipped with a hood or helmet and a high efficiency filter, or a supplied air respirator equipped with a hood or helmet and operated in a continuous flow mode should be adequate.

For all other Type 2 operations, a half-mask particulate respirator with N-, R- or P-series filter, and 95, 99 or 100% efficiency should be adequate.

6.4 Measures and Procedures for Type 3 Operations

6.4.1 Preparation of the Work Area

Warning signs should be provided for all Type 3 operations. Signs should be posted in sufficient numbers to warn of the lead hazard, and at least at each entrance of the work area. The signs should display the following information in large, clearly visible letters:

1. There is lead dust, fume or mist hazard.
2. Access to the work area is restricted to authorized persons.
3. Respirators must be worn in the work area.

6.4.2 Barriers, Partial Enclosures and Full Enclosures

Barriers, partial enclosures, and full enclosures are used to separate the work area from the rest of the project, and in some cases, to prevent lead exposure to other workers not directly involved in the operation. Partial and full enclosures can also prevent or reduce the dispersion of lead into the surrounding work area and environment. Barriers should only be used where full and partial enclosures are not practicable.

Barriers

Ropes or barriers do not prevent the release of contaminated dust or other contaminants into the environment. However, they can be used to restrict access of workers who are not adequately protected with proper PPE, and also prevent the entry of workers not directly involved in the operation. Ropes or barriers should be placed at a distance far enough from the operation that allows the lead-containing dust to settle. If this is not achievable, warning signs should be posted at the distance where the lead-containing dust settles to warn that access is restricted to persons wearing PPE. For example, the removal of mortar and cutting operations, ropes or barriers should be located at least 10 metres away. All workers within the barrier or warning sign zone must be adequately protected.

Partial Enclosures

Partial enclosures allow some emissions to the atmosphere outside of the enclosure. Partial enclosures may consist of vertical tarps and floor tarps so long as the tarps are overlapped and securely fixed together at the seams. A partial enclosure is not a recommended containment system if significant dust is being generated.

Full Enclosures

Full enclosures are tight enclosures (with tarps that are generally impermeable and fully sealed joints and entryways). Full enclosures allow minimal or no fugitive emissions to reach the outside environment. For full enclosures, the following requirements should be met:

• the enclosure should be made of windproof materials that are impermeable to dust
• the enclosure should be supported by a secure structure
• all joints in the enclosure should be fully sealed
• entrances to the enclosure should be equipped with overlapping tarps or air locks
• the escape of abrasive and debris from the enclosure should be controlled, at air supply points, by the use of baffles, louvers, flap seals and filters
• general mechanical ventilation should be provided to remove contaminated air from the enclosure and filtered air should be provided to replace the exhausted air
• equipment venting such air should be equipped with filters adequate to control vented air to provincial environmental standards
• the air velocity within the enclosure should provide an average minimum cross-draft or down-draft past each worker during abrasive blasting operations as follows:
• cross-draft velocity of 0.5 m/sec (100 ft/min)
• down-draft velocity of 0.25 m/sec (50 ft/min)

Indoor Operations

• For Type 3a operations conducted indoors, barriers, partial enclosures, or full enclosures should be provided.
• For Type 3b operations (abrasive blasting, removal of lead-containing dust using an air mist extraction system) conducted indoors, full enclosures should be provided.

Outdoor Operations

• For Type 3a and 3b operations conducted outdoors, barriers, partial enclosures, or full enclosures should be provided.
• For dry abrasive blasting conducted outdoors, full enclosures should be provided.

6.4.3 Decontamination Facility

A decontamination facility should be made available for workers carrying out for the following Type 3 operations:

Type 3a Operations

• removal of lead-containing coatings and materials using power tools without an effective dust collection system equipped with a HEPA filter
• demolition or clean-up of a facility where lead-containing products were manufactured

Type 3b Operations

• abrasive blasting of lead-containing coatings or materials
• removal of lead-containing dust using an air mist extraction system

The decontamination facility should be located as close as practicable to the work area and should consist of:

• a room suitable for changing into protective clothing and for storing contaminated protective clothing and equipment
• a shower room as described below
• room suitable for changing into street clothes and for storing clean clothing and equipment

The rooms in the decontamination facility should be arranged in sequence and constructed so as to prevent the spread of lead dust.

The shower room in the decontamination facility should be provided with the following:

• hot and cold water or water of a constant temperature that is not less than 40° Celsius or more than 50° Celsius
• individual controls inside the room to regulate water flow and, if there is hot and cold water, temperature
• clean towels.

Prior to each shift in which a decontamination facility is being used, a competent person should inspect the facility to ensure that there are no defects that would allow lead-containing dust to escape. Defects should be repaired before the facility is used. The decontamination facility should be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.

Workers using the decontamination facility should do the following in the order shown:

• decontaminate protective clothing that will be reused on site by vacuuming with a HEPA-filter-vacuum or by damp wiping
• remove the decontaminated protective clothing
• place protective clothing that will not be reused on site in a container suitable for lead-containing dust and waste
• shower without removing the respirator
• remove and clean the respirator

6.4.4 Dust Control Measures

General and Local Mechanical Ventilation

Where the work area is enclosed, general mechanical ventilation should be provided. The air exhausted from an enclosed work area should pass through a dust collector effective for capturing the size of particulate matter being generated and for the volume and velocity of air moving through the enclosure.

Where a dust generating operation is carried out, local mechanical ventilation should be provided to remove dust at the source. Local mechanical ventilation is highly recommended for welding, burning, and high temperature cutting of lead-containing coatings and materials, and for the removal of lead-containing coatings and materials using power tools. Where local mechanical ventilation is used, the following should be met:

• Air velocity at any point in front of or at the opening of the ventilation hood should be sufficient to overcome opposing air currents and capture the contaminated air by causing it to flow into the hood.
• Air velocity at the source should be at least 0.5 m/sec (100 ft/min)
• Air discharged from the local mechanical ventilation system should pass through a HEPA filter and be routed out of the workplace in a way that will prevent the return of contaminants to the workplace.

If local ventilation is not practicable, an appropriate respirator (as listed in Table 1) should be provided. However, the decision that local ventilation is not practicable should not be made without first consulting the joint health and safety committee or health and safety representative, if any, and without considering the following:

• any undue economic hardship to the employer that providing a local ventilation system would cause
• the frequency and duration of the operation
• any potential risks to the workers by not providing a local ventilation system.

Wet Methods

Wet methods should be incorporated in the operation to reduce dust generation. Examples of wet methods include wetting surfaces, wet scraping, and wet shovelling.

Wetting should not be used if it would create a hazard or could cause damage to equipment or to the project. Power tools should be equipped with a shroud, and the shroud should be kept flush with the surface.

6.4.5 Personal Protective Equipment

Protective Clothing

Every worker who enters a Type 3 operation work area should wear protective clothing (see Protective Clothing in Section 4.3).

Respirators

For most Type 3 operations, workers should wear a respirator with a NIOSH approved assigned protection factor of 50 (see Respirator Requirements in Table 1). Where the operation is abrasive blasting, the operator should wear a Type CE abrasive blast supplied air respirator operated in a pressure demand or positive pressure mode with a tight-fitting half-mask or tight-fitting full-facepiece.

It is recommended that compressed air used to supply supplied air respirators meet the breathing air purity requirements of CSA Standard Z180.1-00. (View CSA Standards) Where an oil-lubricated compressor is used to supply breathing air, a continuous carbon monoxide monitor/alarm should be provided.

6.4.6 Clean-Up

Dust and waste should be cleaned up and removed by vacuuming with a HEPA filter equipped vacuum, wet sweeping and/or wet shovelling. Clean-up after each operation should be encouraged to prevent lead contamination and exposure to lead.

When abrasive blasting is finished, cleanup and removal of lead-containing dust and waste should take place.

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