ASWS LEADING THE WAY IN LEAD PAINT REMOVAL
Kris Bennell, Director of Associated Steel Window Services( ASWS) discusses the continuing health threat posed by a class of paint which has been banned for the past 30 years; and the solutions.
Commercial property companies and the construction industry are fully experienced now in the measures which must be taken to counter the threat posed by asbestos in its many forms, but our older properties still contain other potentially dangerous substances- with one hiding in plain sight. The use of lead paint was banned back in 1990, yet it is not a notifiable issue, and the removal can be just as serious as that of asbestos.
Lead paint can be considered a problem of the past but, because of the lack of education and understanding surrounding it, and the fact that it can be considered tricky to remove safely, there has been a tendency to just apply new coats of paint over the top.
Therefore, if lead paint is present, it is likely to be the bottom one or two coats or the primer, which means there remains the risk that, if the surface is impacted or damaged, then small fragments or dust can be inhaled. Long term exposure can cause serious illness; so removal of lead containing paints during extensive refurbishments removes any residual risk to future users of the building.
An experienced contractor should be appointed to conduct a lead paint analysis as part of its survey procedures, addressing the façade and inner surfaces such as columns and handrails, as well as the fenestration. ASWS undertakes a laboratory lead test, not XRF, which often only analyses the topcoats of paint. The paint samples, taken all the way back to the substrate material, will be referred to a laboratory, where any result above 1 % lead by mass( Pb) will be highlighted and precautions taken, as per the HSE Control of Lead at Work Regulations( CLAW 2002).
Any actions which turn lead paint into dust, or involve heating it up, are potentially dangerous in terms of breathing problems, and can cause heavy metal poisoning, which is an irreversible condition. These controllable procedures require correct use of RPE( respiratory PPE) together with barriers to protect the public or other workers and selection of the appropriate removal method.
12- REFURB & RESTORE