Is YOUR Home— Are YOUR Children — Lead Safe?

1. Is YOUR Home—Are YOURChildren—Lead Safe? April 2014

2. Lead poisoning remains the #1 environmental threat to America’s children. For most children, their exposure to lead occurs in the home. Young children, those age six and under, are particularly susceptible to the effects of lead poisoning. Understanding the Risk of Lead

3. Naturally-occurring element • found in soil, rocks, and water. • A heavy metal. • Used throughout human • history as an additive for a • wide variety of products. What is Lead? TOXIC to humans and animals.

4. For many decades, lead was added to PAINT. Lead helped paint go on more smoothly, last longer, and resist rust more effectively. Leaded paint was used on both the interiors and exteriors of homes. Once the paint begins to deteriorate, it becomes a lead HAZARD. Lead PAINT

5. While paint manufacturers had been gradually decreasing the amount of lead in paint, it was not until 1978 that HUD and the Consumer Product Safety Commission successfully banned lead from house paint. That means that any home built before 1978 may contain leaded paint. The older the home, the greater the likelihood that its paint contained lead additives.

6. EPA estimates that: • 87 percent of pre-1940 homes contain Pb paint • 69 percent of homes built 1940-1959 • 24 percent of homes constructed 1960-1978 Likelihood of Lead Paint

7. Humans are exposed to lead via INGESTION and INHALATION. As paint deteriorates, it may flake/chip or degrade to a fine dust. Ingesting (swallowing) lead dust causes lead poisoning. Lead dust is virtually invisible and easily dispersed into the air. Airborne, inhaled lead dust causes lead poisoning. Lead Exposure

8. ALL lead paint will deteriorate with time, but some areas are especially vulnerable: Windows Doors Stairs and Banisters The effects of weathering, friction, and human handling mean that paint degrades rapidly on these surfaces. Interior Lead Paint

9. Lead paint chips and dust are likely to settle in the soil near homes with exterior leaded paint. Children should avoid playing in the grass or soil in the immediate vicinity of the house, and vegetable gardens should be located as far from the house as possible. Exterior Lead Paint

10. EPA’sDanger ZoneFinder Available online at EPA’s website, the Danger Zone Finder can help consumers recognize the locations in their homes where lead contamination is most likely : http://www2.epa.gov/lead/home-danger-zone-finder

11. Health Effects of Lead Poisoning

12. Because 90 percent of a child’s brain development occurs in the first five to six years of life, infants and young children are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning. Lead poisoning deters the formation of synapses (connections between brain cells) and damages the myelin coating on the nerves (neurons) in the brain. Neurological Impact on Infants and Young Children

13. The majority of lead poisoned children may not exhibit any outward symptoms of illness, or symptoms may be so vague as to be mistaken for any number of minor childhood maladies. For this reason, screening young children for lead poisoning is CRITICAL in avoiding irreversible brain damage.

14. Current CDC guidelines call for lead screenings at 12 and 24 months of age. Screenings are accomplished via blood from a finger (or heel) prick. In May 2012, the CDC revised the lead reference level, cutting in half the blood lead level at which case management is indicated (from the previous 10 µg/dL to 5 µg/dL). Lead Screenings

15. Lead may leach into WATERif a home • contains: • lead plumbing. [unlikely] • copper plumbing joined with • lead solder. • c) brass fixtures or faucets. • Lead may leach into foods or liquids • if served in leaded crystal. Other Sources of Lead in the Home

16. Beware of inexpensive, imported items you may bring into the home: Ceramic (lead in paint/glaze) Plastic/Vinyl (lead used for stability) Children’s toys and jewelry Items recalled for lead content can be found on the Consumer Product Safety Commission website at: http://www.cpsc.gov Lead in Consumer Goods

17. Testing for Lead Professionals can test paint, household products, and water for the presence of lead. Lead-Based Paint Inspection – Will reveal whether or not a home contains lead-based paint, and, if so, where. Lead Risk Assessment – Will reveal whether or not lead hazards currently exist in home’s paint, dust, or soil.

18. Paint and Product Testing Paint-Chip Analysis: Tests for presence of lead on walls or surfaces. Requires removal of all paint layers, with samples sent to laboratory for determination. X-Ray Fluorescence: Can be used on walls, furniture, toys, or other objects. Certified technicians can perform testing in the home with a portable unit or in their own laboratory. Laboratory Testing: Testing for objects only. Dissolving agent used on item’s surface to test for—and weigh—lead content.

19. Water Testing Contact a certified laboratory for testing of tap water. They should provide you with sample containers and comprehensive instructions. Follow instructions exactly, and send the sample to the laboratory for analysis. Those with lead may wish to consider a filtration system.

20. If a home was built before 1978: • Consider testing the house and property for lead. • Maintain strict cleanliness standards, wet mopping floors • and damp cleaning windowsills and other surfaces • with soap and warm water at least weekly. • Wash children’s hands and toys thoroughly and often. • Use COLD water for drinking and cooking. • Be certain to have children tested for lead! Lead Poisoning Prevention Strategies

21. Renovation and Remodeling Hiring a Professional: The 2010 RRP (Renovation, Repair, and Painting) legislation demands that all professionals hired for remodeling work in homes or child-occupied facilities constructed prior to 1978 receive training and certification in lead-safe work practices. When hiring a contractor, be certain to verify that the firm is certified.

22. The Basics for Homeowners Personal Protection Disposable clothing/protective equipment is crucial. All items should be placed in a plastic bag and discarded after use. Coveralls Painter hat Shoe covers Gloves N-100 respirator Goggles

23. Keep dust in and everyone but the worker(s) out! • Remove all furnishings. • Turn off forced-air heat or air conditioning. • Cover the door, floor or carpeting, and all duct openings with 6 mil plastic sheeting secured by tape. • Avoid dry scraping or sanding, using wet sanders and misting all surfaces. • Use only low-temperature (1,000 degree or less) • heat guns. • Score painted surfaces with a utility knife before • cutting/separating. • Pry and pull apart, rather than hammering or • pounding. Containment and Dust Minimization

24. End-of-Project CLEANING • Careful, thorough cleaning upon project • completion is imperative! • Mist all plastic sheeting and fold (dirty side • inward). Seal in sturdy plastic bags for disposal. • Damp clean ALL surfaces, working from top to bottom. • Vacuum walls and floors with a HEPA vacuum • Mop floors. • Clean all Clean all tools before removing from the premises.

25. “A man’s home is his castle, and where shall a man be safe if it be not in his own house?” --Edward Coke 1844

26. Lesson Review QUIZ • Lead enters a human’s bloodstream via _______________ and _______________. • Lead poisoning is particularly problematic for children aged six and under because it affects their ____________. • Children should be routinely tested for lead poisoning at 12 and _______ months of age. • Lead was banned for use in paint in U.S. homes in ______. • Identify one area of the home that is particularly vulnerable to lead paint deterioration. • The RRP Rule addresses ______________ work practices.

27. Lead Resources Comprehensive, downloadable booklets available from the EPA at: www.epa.gov/lead Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) www.cdc.gov/lead The National Lead Information Center www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/nlic.htm