Thursday, February 6, 2014

Information On Lead Cleanup Process And Its Benefits

By Jerri Perry


For many years now lead paint has been used in the construction industry but concerns have been raised regarding how safe this paint is. Studies that were conducted in the past few years showed that Pb paints are a great risk to adults, children and pets. Normally, Pb gets into the body of an individual through inhalation which can lead to the poisoning. Due to this health concerns, laws were introduced that require contractors to take a lot of care when dealing with this kind of paint. As a safety precaution, they are required to carry out a thorough lead cleanup after themselves.

Environment protection agency was introduced to protect infections caused by Pb poisoning. This involves a simple test conducted to verify presence of Pb in the paint. The other law that was introduced as well to keep Pb poisoning in check is repair and painting rule. This law required that all buildings that were constructed before 1978 and Pb paints were used on them be stripped of it to avoid risks that are associated with it.

To be able to get rid of this Pb paint there are various steps to be taken in order to get effective results. The first step is to move all the furnishings, accessories, fittings and furniture which include tables, sofas, carpets, curtains and beds, among others. If moving does not work for you, you can cover or wrap them using large plastic sheets.

It is also important that you cover the flooring and using a tape seal the corners to hold the cover down. One should ensure that every door leading to other rooms is closed to avoid paint dust from blowing into them. If there is a big gap under the door, then make sure that it is completely sealed.

When the process starts taking place people such as pregnant women and young children should not be present. As the person carrying out the task you should have protective gear on. The protective clothes you have should include a suit that covers the whole body, head covers, safety goggles, gloves and protective shoe. Eating should not take place while still doing this task.

To begin the process, you first need to take preventive measure to avoid the Pb dirt and fumes. The right and most secure way of doing this is by use of chemical strippers since these strippers do not produce any Pb fumes or dirt. The chemical strippers are applied on the walls by use of a brush. Then they are left for some time to settle down.

Allowing the strippers to settle down for sometimes help to soften the paint after which it starts to form small bubbles. At this time the paint is quite soft and easy to take it out in layers using a knife or brush. However this does not mean that you will be able to get rid of every bit of the paint, you will realize that there will be still some traces left on some areas on the wall. These traces are removed using an alkaline stripper. When undertaking stripping process, make sure that you have a collection container with you.

The last step involves cleaning the area to be worked on. Remove all the plastic coverings by grabbing them at the corner and wrap them up. Once you done, wash your hands, shower then change your clothes you had while cleaning. If you follow these steps, lead cleanup you will be able to finish this step within the shortest time possible and more importantly do a great.




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