WORKSAFE Victoria has released a safety solution for workers who conduct abrasive blasting of large lead-painted surfaces.
According to WorkSafe Victoria, these workers are being exposed to excessive amounts of lead.
Lead is a cumulative poison which can build up in the body over a period of time until symptoms occur. Lead exposure can cause kidney damage, nerve and brain damage, paralysis, and lead palsy.
Exposure can occur through inhalation of airborne lead containing dust, and ingestion from contaminated hands or food. Employees may also be exposed to the material used for abrasive blasting, as it is prohibited to use sand for blasting.
WorkSafe Victoria suggests the risk can be controlled by dismantling the structure, if possible, and cleaning if off-site in a more controlled environment such as a blasting chamber.
Workers can also consider alternative safer methods of cleaning like using chemicals or water blasting, set up a solid enclosure to contain the dust, install a filtered air extraction system, or provide decontamination facilities.
Barriers can be used to create an exclusion zone, and workers should be fitted out with personal protective equipment, including helmet, shoulder cape, gloves, footwear and earplugs.
Where enclosures are used, waste should be removed regularly in plastic-lined sealed containers, and clean-up should be done with a wet method or vacuum cleaner fitted with a HEPA filter.