Getting What Is Rightfully Yours

A Three-Pronged Approach To Preventing Lead Exposure During Construction Work

29 August 2015 by Penny Fisher

Lead poisoning is a great threat to construction workers. This is a health risk that everybody in the construction industry, from employers to construction workers, should participate in keeping at bay. If you are employed in the construction industry, then there are a few measures you should expect to see in place for preventing exposure to lead dust. Here are three such measures:

Engineering

First, and this is up to the employer (usually the contractor), the workplace areas should be structured in such a way that minimal lead dust can escape and affect workers. Here are some of the measures that can help:

• Use of construction methods that produce minimal lead dust. For example, if blasting is to be done, then the wet abrasive blast cleaning would be better than the dusty open abrasive blasting. The latter introduces a liquid to the blasting process that helps to reduce the dustiness.
• Sealing the work area so that only the workers who have to work with the lead-producing materials or tools risk exposure. Introducing negative pressure within the sealed area minimizes these workers' exposure too.

Housekeeping

You cannot rely on engineering methods alone to eliminate lead dust from the workplace. There are also housekeeping practices that your employer should adopt. Here are three examples of such measures:

• Eliminating accumulation of dust in the work area, for example, by vacuuming.
• Keeping lead-containing debris in sealed bags before they are carted away.
• Wet-misting debris before handling it.

Personal Hygiene

Even your personal hygiene can go a long way in reducing your risk of getting lead poisoning. For example, you need to shower every day after work, and even change into fresh attire before going home. This not only reduces the level of lead dust on your person, but it also prevents you from carrying lead dust home. Not only this, but if you have to eat at work, then you should do it someplace where the risk of lead contamination is minimal. While your employer should provide the necessary facilities such as hand washing basins and showers, it is up to you to ensure that you use them.

These are just a few examples of the necessary preventive practices; the nature of your workplace dictates the exact measures to take. You have the authority and right to request them from your employer, and report him or her to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) if he or she doesn't comply. In case you develop lead poisoning, you should seek compensation from workers compensation or personal injury claims depending on whose negligence lead to your injury. Contact a law firm like Locklin & Mordhorst for more help in this area.

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