Lead Safe Work Practices

two man team in protective garb

site protection and warning sign

 Lead paint was located by pre testing and during the demolition phase much of the stucco that had lead paint on it required removal. This was our first experience with stucco removal in a lead safe way.To accomplish this task we initially trained our new employees about LSWP and provided all the necessary protective clothing and safety equipment. As per the RRP rule, we cordoned off the work area too. We discovered that there is no body of knowledge out there yet on best practices on how to do this efficiently yet. We tried our best as you can see to protect the ground and recoup the water.We worked in two man teams and sprayed water to keep the dust down. Cutting stucco with a diamond blade and peeling it down worked the best for us. Keep in mind that this was done during freezing conditions and you can begin to appreciate the complexity of the project. We also used LSWP when removing tile in the bathroom. and several of the leaded windows. Tile although fairly encapsulated can cause lead dust when the tiles are pulverized and we did not want to take any chances. Doing dust free demolition is not and easy task but is paramount to the safety of the employees the owners and the environment

post cut dust being captured with spray

I am working behind the scenes now with NARI and the EPA on a national and local level to share the knowledge professional remodelers are learning about best management practices on how to accomplish LSWP in efficiently and practically. Lets face, contractors are all in this boat together and pioneering techniques to accomplish the same goal.