Lead-Containing Materials Guidelines

20 Lead-Containing Materials G. Other Lead Activities Welding and Cutting All painted metal surfaces (I-beams, pipes, light poles etc.) shall be assumed to be lead-containing unless sampling or a manufacturer’s specifications show otherwise. Industrial coatings often contain other hazardous additives in addition to or in place of lead. These may include chromium, cadmiumandmercury.Whenwelding and/or cutting lead painted surfaces, powered air purifying respirators (PAPR’s) with HEPA filters are required. PAPR’s are recommended for all welding and cutting operations unless ventilation is in place to control contaminants. If welding or cutting is done in an occupied building, proper exhaust ventilation must be supplied. Similar guidelines apply to soldering of sheet metal, tubing, piping, plumbing or sewer piping involving lead solder or other lead-containing materials. Lead Cable Splicing Sampling during the splicing of lead jacketed electrical lines has shown the potential for exposures to lead at or above the action level. Any soldering or heating of lead jacketed materials should be conducted using proper engineering controls (i.e. ventilation), personal hygiene, PPE, and personal monitoring. EH&S can assist in identifying the specific controls that are needed to safely complete this task.