Lead, one of the oldest metals known to man, is right up there among the top of construction work health dangers.
It’s just such a common material, still in wide use today even though it can do some pretty unpleasant things to our bodies. Headaches, nausea, stomach pains and anemia are the lighter of lead poisoning symptoms.
It can also give you kidney damage, nerve damage, brain damage or infertility.
Basically, don’t let lead get into your body in any way.
If you breathe in lead dust or vapour, or swallow even the tiniest traces of lead from eating, drinking, smoking or even biting your nails without washing your hands after dealing with lead or lead dust, you’re at risk.
So here are the 13 processes working with lead which create the dust, vapour or fumes to watch out for. Many of which are common on construction sites. And then, 10 ways to keep yourself safe.
Lead’s valuable, and useful, and endlessly recyclable. So we often recover it from waste, where careless touching gets it on your fingers.
Also a very common process, watch out for all those fumes released.
A highly dangerous, and very common practice.
Another common construction and renovation job.
Antimony, tin, arsenic, and calcium are the most common alloying elements. Lead adds a hardness and strength to other materials. And a danger too.
Check all paint for lead.
Again, always check for lead and follow the safety steps below.
Now onto the less common lead-processes on a construction site, but the most dangerous ones for any worker to do. Of course refining, smelting, alloying and casting release the most dangerous fumes.
Most commonly, in the manufacturing of batteries.
A very common process, lead is often used in batteries.
Surprisingly, these products often contain lead.
Any television or computer monitor with a cathode ray tube inside has traces of lead. Bet you didn’t know that one!
So now we’ve gone and scared you with how often you come into contact with lead in a dangerous way, here are the steps to take to make sure you needn’t worry. And like most health and safety, just being aware helps a great deal.
Clean away any lead waste at the end of every day – don’t leave this toxic stuff lying around!
Be hygienic! Wash your face, hands and nails before eating and wash and shower before you go home. Enforce this behaviour with your workers.
Do you have any questions about working with lead?
Ask away, we’re happy to talk!
I am a HSE officer.I want to know where lead generates or produce and what is the control measures to prevent from diseases.