Document ID: EPA-HQ-RCRA-2001-0017-0010
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2003-03-11T05:00Z

Lead
Paint
Can
Poison:
Protect
Your
Family
When
You
Repaint
or
Remodel.

HUD
WANTS
YOU
TO
LEARN
THE
FACTS
ABOUT
WORKING
SAFELY
WITH
LEAD
PAINT.

Q.
Where
is
lead
paint
found?
A.
Most
homes
built
before
1978
have
some
lead
paint.
Homes
built
before
1960
have
the
most
lead
paint.
Lead
paint
can
be
present
on
any
painted
surface,
but
it
is
most
often
found
on
windows,
trim,
doors,
railings,
columns,
porches
and
outside
walls.
Surfaces
that
have
been
repainted
may
have
layers
of
lead
paint
underneath.
A
lead
inspection
can
tell
you
where
lead
paint
is
located.

Q.
How
does
painting
or
remodeling
create
lead
hazards?
A.
Sanding,
scraping
or
otherwise
disturbing
lead
paint
can
release
large
amounts
of
toxic
lead
dust.
This
dust,
which
may
not
be
visible,
can
settle
on
floors
and
other
surfaces
where
it
gets
on
children's
hands
and
into
their
mouths.

Q.
What
do
I
need
to
know
about
hiring
a
contractor?
A.
Choose
a
contractor
who
knows
how
to
work
safely
with
lead
paint.
Ask
these
questions:

°
Has
the
contractor
worked
safely
with
lead
paint
before?
Ask
for
references
from
at
least
three
recent
jobs
involving
homes
built
before
1978
and
speak
to
each
personally.
Find
out
if
the
contractor
was
careful
to
avoid
spreading
lead
dust
and
cleaned
up
thoroughly.

°
Has
the
contractor
completed
a
training
program
in
lead
safety?
Some
community
colleges
and
trade
associations
sponsor
this
training
for
contractors.
If
contractors
advertise
that
they
are
certified
lead
abatement
contractors,
you
can
check
their
credentials
by
calling
1­
888­
LEADLIST
or
visit
the
Web
site,
www.
leadlisting.
org.

°
Will
the
contractor
test
for
lead
dust
at
the
end
of
the
job?
A
lead
dust
test
will
show
if
hazards
have
been
left
behind.

DOING
IT
YOURSELF?
USE
HUD'S
SIMPLE
CHECKLIST
ON
THE
REVERSE
SIDE
TO
PROTECT
YOUR
FAMILY
FROM
LEAD
PAINT
HAZARDS.
U.
S.
Department
of
Housing
and
Urban
Development
°
Painting
or
remodeling
a
home
built
before
1978
can
disturb
lead
paint
and
endanger
young
children.

°
Choose
a
contractor
who
has
experience
working
with
lead
paint.

°
Federal
law
requires
contractors
to
give
you
a
brochure,
Protect
Your
Family
From
Lead
in
Your
Home,
before
starting
jobs
that
involve
lead
paint.
WORK
SAFELY
WITH
LEAD
PAINT
WHEN
YOU
REPAIR,
REPAINT
OR
RENOVATE.

1.
Watch
out
for
lead
dust.

q
Wet
down
the
paint
before
sanding
or
scraping
to
control
lead
dust.

q
Seal
off
the
work
area
by
covering
floors,
doors,
furniture,
windows
and
vents
with
heavy
plastic.
If
possible,
remove
furniture
from
the
room.
Keep
children
and
pregnant
women
away
from
the
work
area.

q
Before
leaving
the
work
area,
workers
should
clean
or
remove
their
shoes
to
avoid
tracking
lead
dust
around
your
home.

2.
Use
the
right
tools.

q
Avoid
creating
dust
or
paint
chips.
A
power
sander
or
grinder
should
have
a
hood
to
trap
dust
and
a
HEPA
vacuum
attachment.
Do
not
use
power
washing
or
abrasive
blasting
on
painted
surfaces.

q
When
removing
old
paint,
do
not
use
open
flame
torches
or
heat
guns
over
1100
°
F
 
high
heat
creates
poisonous
fumes.
Never
use
paint
strippers
that
contain
methylene
chloride.

3.
Clean
up
carefully.

q
 
Roll
up
or
fold
plastic
sheets
to
keep
dust
and
chips
from
escaping.

q
Use
a
vacuum
with
a
HEPA
filter
to
clean
all
floors
and
other
surfaces
where
dust
can
settle.

q
Wash
floors,
walls
and
other
surfaces
with
soap
and
water
and
rinse
with
fresh
water.

q
Dispose
of
debris,
towels
and
wash
cloths
in
heavy
plastic
bags.
Never
burn
leaded
debris.

q
Conduct
a
lead
dust
test
at
the
end
of
the
job.
Contact
an
environmental
lab
for
a
sampling
kit
or
hire
an
independent
lead
professional.
Lead
dust
levels
should
be
no
more
than
40
micrograms
per
square
foot
on
floors.
If
levels
are
higher,
clean
the
area
again,
then
retest.

HUD
WANTS
EVERY
CHILD
TO
HAVE
A
LEAD­
SAFE
HOME!

For
more
information
on
working
safely
with
lead
paint,
see
the
booklet,
Lead
Paint
Safety:
A
Field
Guide
for
Painting,
Home
Maintenance,
and
Renovation
Work.
For
a
free
copy,
call
1­
800­
424­
LEAD.

For
a
free
brochure
on
other
home
safety
issues,
call
HUD's
Healthy
Homes
hotline
at
1­
800­
HUDS­
FHA
or
visit
HUD's
Web
site
at
www.
hud.
gov.
HUD
is
on
your
side.

Sponsored
by
the
U.
S.
Department
of
Housing
and
Urban
Development
www.
hud.
gov