Lead-based Paint Hazards     Exposure to lead-based paint is the primary cause of lead poisoning in children. Prior to 1978, lead-based paint was commonly used on interior and exterior building surfaces -- so those of us (especially children) who live in or work on pre-1978 houses, are at risk of lead poisoning.     Lead poisoning is caused by swallowing (ingesting) or inhaling lead particles. Lead-based paint chips and lead dust (which you can't always see) are both serious hazards to your health. Ingestion and inhalation of lead can easily pass unnoticed. Lead can be released into your home during routine activities such as opening and closing windows and doors. Your child might eat sweet-tasting lead-based paint chips, mouth lead dust-covered toys, or teeth on lead-based paint-containing woodwork. You or your child might touch dusty surfaces and then eat food with lead dust on their hands.     Regular maintenance and routine lead dust cleaning measures are not enough to protect your family when home repairs, remodeling (demolition and construction), and painting (sanding, burning or scraping, etc.) break lead-based paint-containing surfaces. Lead dust released during these activities can scatter and poison yourself and your family, pets, neighbors and workers.     Recent lawsuits have held property owners liable for 30-40% of the damage costs for polluting neighboring properties as a result of exterior paint jobs. Property owners can also be held liable for lead poisoning occurring on their properties. Needless to say, it is important to know about lead-based paint safety.      It's Not Only in Paint ...          According to the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection, approximately 93% of San Francisco housing units built before 1978 may have lead-containing paint, varnish, shellac or other coatings. Just about any surface that might have been painted with any coating is suspect. Lead-based paint and other lead-containing coatings may be found well below layers of nontoxic paint. If lead-based paint layers are left undamaged, they present little danger. However, special attention should be directed toward surfaces that children can chew or that get a lot of wear and tear, such as windows and window sills, doors and door frames, stairs, railings and banisters, porches and fences. You can prevent harm only by following lead-safe methods.      Lead-based Paint Safety Requires Planning          The key to lead-based paint safety is to prevent exposure in the first place. Work that may break a lead-based paint surface requires special measures. If recent work in your home could have released lead dust, clean immediately -- using proper lead dust cleaning methods -- and get yourself and your children tested for lead.     Before you do any work that may break a painted surface -- including renovations, remodeling and furniture restoration, as well as plumbing, ventilation and heating duct work, and work on electrical systems -- test for lead. You can either send samples to a lab yourself (see Testing for Lead-based Paint) or hire a professional to do a paint inspection for you.     State-approved lead-related construction certification courses teach lead-safe work methods. This certification is valuable for construction and related professionals, as it demonstrates competency in lead-safe methods to prospective clients.     To contact a certified person to work in your home, call Cole Hardware®'s Home Repair Referral Service at 415/753-2653 ext.3 or see www.colehardware.com/referral.htm, or see the The Lead Listing (National Lead Service Providers' Listing System). For a list of state-accredited lead-related construction training providers, call the San Francisco Department of Public Health at 415/554-8930.     (See also Lead Information Sources.)      Avoid These Dangerous Work Methods      Dry manual scraping or dry sanding without an attached HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Aerosol) vacuum Open-flame/propane torching Dry abrasive blasting Unconfined hydro-blasting Chemical stripping with methylene chloride (e.g., Jasco), except in localized, well-ventilated touch-up      Options for Dealing with Lead-based Paint hazards     Replace it. Replacement is most practical with removable objects, such as furniture, doors, doorjambs, and windows. Replacement means removing the object from the house and replacing it with a lead-free item. Wet the area before prying off wood, scraping, or sanding, and use lead-safe cleanup methods. Do not burn any lead-containing item! Wrap it, keep it away from children, and remove it from your home. Cover it. Surfaces that cannot be replaced are best covered. Consider this method for walls, floors, woodwork, and other areas that are impractical to replace. Cover lead-containing surfaces with a long-lasting, tough material like sheetrock, paneling or tiles. This new layer must be kept in good condition. Cracks give a place for lead dust to settle, and they are hard to clean. Fill or seal cracks to make them smooth and cleanable. Encapsulate it. Encapsulants are rolled, brushed or troweled onto the lead-based paint-containing surface. Encapsulation is not a permanent method of covering lead-based paint -- if the new surface is not kept in good condition, the lead paint is exposed again and you are back to square one. Remove it. "Removing" means taking lead-based paint off via sanding, scraping or chemical stripping. Removal creates a lot of lead dust and is thus the least desirable way to deal with lead-based paint around the home. However, if removing is the method chosen, refinish the surface or lead residue will continue to leach out of the unfinished surface. - Hardware Hotline  August, 2002