Exposure above the PEL requires that employees be provided respirators, protective clothing, change areas, designated eating facilities, and engineering controls to ensure that arsenic exposure is minimized. A regulated area must be designated in which all workers shall wear respirators, protective clothing, and in which no eating, smoking, or cosmetic application may occur. Lastly, an arsenic warning sign is required at the entrance to the area. Lead has received much attention during abrasive blasting or coating removal. Indeed, so much has been said regarding lead that the possibility that other contaminants may also be present in old coatings has been completely ignored.
Many contractors are accustomed to working with lead.
Identification of possible hazards in coatings prior to painting is usually the owner's responsibility. If not reported, the contractor should question the owner whether a complete analysis of the coating has been performed. All coatings to be removed should not only be sampled for the presence of lead, but also for other heavy metals, such as arsenic and cadmium. Abrasive blasting and torch burning usually provide the highest exposures. Coating removal using power tools may also create exposure.