As you may be aware although lead can be an excellent product to use for your roofing it is however poisonous and if you’re considering a lead roof or having a lead roofing repair then some safety advice may be useful!
Why Is Lead Roofing Poisonous?
The crust of the Earth contains the naturally occurring hazardous element lead. Due to its widespread use, there have been serious public health issues, environmental damage, and human exposure in many different regions of the world.
Young children are more susceptible to the harmful effects of lead and can have severe, long-lasting health problems, especially on the brain and nervous system development. Adults who consume lead run the risk of developing chronic renal disease and high blood pressure. High amounts of lead exposure during pregnancy can result in stillbirths, preterm births, low birth weights, and miscarriages.
Nearly half of the 2 million lives lost in 2019 as a result of exposure to known chemicals, according to the World Health Organization's 2021 update of ‘Public health effect of chemicals: knowns and unknowns’, were caused by lead exposure.
What Can I do To Prevent Lead Poisoning?
Wear respiratory protective equipment - This type of respiratory protective wear should have a 20-protection factor rating, such as a disposable FFP3 mask or a half mask with a P3 filter. Consider powered RPE with the same protection for longer-duration work (such as a TH2-powered hood or helmet). You will need to verify that any RPE is compatible with other forms of safety gear you may also be using whilst around the lead roof.
Wearing protective clothing - If lead dust exposure is possible, wear disposable coveralls and washable and disposable gloves. When leaving the work area, remove these. Keep them separate from personal clothes worn outside of work and do not wear them in rest places in order to prevent contamination also take care not to wash infected garments at home.
Lead hazards training - By being more informed about the risks associated with lead, it allows one to put into practice the science behind preventing lead poisoning.
Protect yourself on breaks too - When you leave the work area with the lead remove safety wear and wash your hands regardless if you were wearing gloves or not prior to eating or touching the face.
If you’re concerned about lead poisoning ask your workplace if regular Blood Lead Level testing is done. The test is an easy blood test that determines how much lead is present in your blood.
At B & D Roofing & Building we offer leadwork roofing which can last for up to 150 years! To get in touch about the prospect of having lead roofing please contact us.
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