Lead-Containing Materials Guidelines

9 Lead-Containing Materials B. Identification of Lead-Containing Materials Any painted surfaces (including stained and varnished) in buildings constructed prior to 1980 must be sampled before any significant disturbance takes place. Any other materials (i.e. glazed ceramics, high voltage connectors or plumbing) that are suspected to contain lead must also be sampled before significant disturbance takes place. To conduct a thorough investigation, each surface should be sampled separately. In a typical campus building, doors, windows, moldings, walls, and ceilings would be sampled separately. The primary lead paint sampling methods include spot chemical testing, x-ray fluorescence, and laboratory analysis. Spot Chemical Testing Spot chemical testing involves a process where a small amount of solution is placed on a sampling surface, and if lead is present, a colorimetric change will take place. This method involves a small amount of paint disturbance in order to test a complete cross section of paints and has proven to be the least reliable of the three listed methods. X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) XRF analysis is completed using a direct field reading instrument that provides immediate results. EH&S currently maintains an XRF spectrum analyzer. The XRF uses a non-destructive analysis method that automatically adjusts for the substrate. As with the other analyses, each surface should be sampled separately. Because the XRF uses a radioactive source to measure lead content, only equipment operators who have received special training can operate this equipment. Laboratory Analysis Laboratory analysis provides the most definitive results, but it can take one or two weeks to complete the analysis. The following steps are necessary to collect an acceptable sample: All paint samples should be collected in a new plastic sample bag. Samples should be labeled with a sample number, the surface sampled, and the sample location. Approximately 5 grams of paint chips must be collected. (For reference, a nickel weighs approximately 5 grams.) Samples must represent a cross section of materials down to the

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