Lead Exposure: Prevention and Response

Did you know that lead can be found in the air, water, and soil? It can even be found in our food and some cosmetics! Lead has been used since ancient times and serves many purposes. It resists corrosion, has high durability, and is a soft metal that melts at a relatively low temperature. Lead is a naturally occurring metal found in the Earth’s crust. In the past, it was used for currency, ammunition, building structures, and early plumbing systems. More recently, major uses of lead included lead-based paint and gasoline. If you are exposed to lead at high enough levels, it can enter the blood and cause damage to several organ systems. Both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provide clear regulations on how to protect you from unsafe levels of lead exposure both in and outside the workplace (29 CFR 1910/1025; 29 CFR 1915.1025; 29 CFR 1926.62; 40 CFR Parts 50, 53, 63, and 745; and other related standards).

Workers in some industries are more likely to be exposed to higher levels of lead than others, including the construction and manufacturing industries. If you are renovating, repairing, painting, or inspecting an older building or home you could be exposed to lead. Even the general population is at risk! Although lead is no longer used in as many products and paints as it once was if you live in an older home, have lead piping that provides your drinking water, participate in a hobby that uses lead, or still have toys or jewelry manufactured pre-1980, you may be at risk of exposure.

This course will discuss where lead can be found, who is most at risk of lead exposure, and how it is a serious health hazard. In addition, this course will break down some of the most essential regulations put in place by both OSHA and the EPA to protect everyone from lead exposure and the negative health effects this exposure can cause. If you need to learn more about where lead can be found, the harm it could cause to the body, and the federal regulations in place to protect you from lead exposure, this training is for you!

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