How can I reduce the amount of lead dust in my home?
There are few simple and easy ways to reduce the amount of lead dust in your home, by following these guidelines you will be reducing the risk of elevated blood lead levels in your children and family:
- Place door mats at entrances to your home, ensure that you clean them regularly.
- Keep work boots and shoes outside, they will bring lead dust into your home.
- Wet wipe all kitchen benches and work tops to remove lead dust, especially before preparing meals and snacks for you and your family. Use a wet cloth and rinse the cloth regularly.
- Wet mop all hard floor surfaces to remove the amount of lead dust that can be picked up. Regularly rinse the mop during cleaning. If you have carpeted surfaces a vacuum with a HEPA filter system is the best vacuum to remove lead dust from carpets. It is recommended that you remove young children from the room when vacuuming or sweeping floors as dust can be deposited back into the air.
- On very windy days try and keep windows closed.
- Regularly wet wipe windowsills to remove lead dust.
- Keep dogs outside and groom them regularly, make sure they have access to water. Dogs can bring lead dust into your home.
- If you work on the mine-site, ensure that you follow the clean in and clean out process thoroughly, keep work boots and clothes outside to prevent any lead dust entering your home.
Renovating & Lead in Paint
In some cases lead based paints in older residential housing are the source of lead in the environment. Peeling or damaged paint or renovation of older houses and buildings can create very fine particles of lead in dust and visible lead flakes that may be inhaled or consumed by people living or working inside or nearby the property. Houses built before 1980 are likely to contain lead based paint. It is essential that when renovating older housing, all children, breast feeding and pregnant women should leave the property to reduce the risk of elevated blood lead levels. They should not return to the home until all dust and debris has been cleared away.
The Commonwealth Department of the Environment’s Lead Alert: The six step guide to painting your home contains practical steps for reducing the risk of exposure to lead based paint: follow the link below:
http://environment.gov.au/protection/chemicals-management/lead/lead-in-house-paint
