Keeping Your Family & Home Safe From Lead - Leaad 411 Information and Resources

Lead poisoning, considered the number one preventable childhood disease, can be combated in your home. The best way to prevent lead poisoning is to remove all lead hazards your family may come in contact with. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Safety Council suggest the following ways to keep your family safe and remove potential lead hazards:

Have lead-based paint removed from your home. Homes built before 1978 pose a higher risk of lead contamination and extra caution should be taken when repainting or repairing these homes. If you believe your house is contaminated, it is ideal to hire experienced professionals to remove the lead-based paint hazards. Since dust and debris will likely spread through the home during the remodeling process, it is recommended that your family leave the home until the renovation is complete. This will ensure that the lead hazards are not ingested by your family.

Clean your home often. If it is not possible to remove or repaint the lead-based paint in your home, it is recommended that you keep your home clean and free of dust in the air. This can be accomplished by wet mopping hard floors and wiping down walls with damp sponges or rags. Routinely assessing your home for paint that is dusting, chipping, or peeling is essential in combating lead poisoning. Cleaning these areas with a damp sponge or rag to remove the hazard will help significantly. Using soapy water combined with a phosphates-enhanced cleaner (such as dishwasher soap) or a lead-specific detergent is the best way to clean the contaminated areas. Be sure to properly dispose of the sponge or rag immediately after usage.

Notify your landlord about potential lead hazards in your home. If you rent the home you live in, it is important to notify your landlord about potential lead hazards and ask that they be removed. If your landlord fails to take action, you can contact your community’s health department and request for someone to come inspect your home. Your landlord may then be legally required to fix the situation.

Encouraging your family to wash their hands regularly. It is especially important to wash your hands before meals to help reduce the risk of accidental ingestion of lead-based paint chips or dust.

Avoid bringing lead hazards home from work. You should change your clothes and shoes before returning to your home after working with lead. It is ideal to leave your contaminated clothing at work; however, when it is necessary to bring the clothing home, you should wash them immediately to avoid exposure to your family. If you have an occupation or hobby that requires you to work with hazardous materials, it is important to do everything possible to prevent bringing these harmful substances home with you.

Have your water tested for lead contamination. Lead, which cannot be removed from water by boiling, is difficult to detect because you cannot see, taste, or smell it. As a general precaution for those with lead pipes, it is recommended that hot tape water be avoided for drinking, cooking, or mixing formula. It is also ideal to run cold water for two minutes before using it. If you are unsure whether or not your drinking water is contaminated with lead you should contact the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791 for information. They will provide you with information about water safety and may have available kits to test your water.

Eat a well balanced diet. A well balanced diet including foods high in calcium and iron such as meat, beans, spinach, and dairy products is important for your family. It has been proven that calcium and iron reduce the amount of lead absorbed by the body.

Be aware of lead hazards outside your home. Any older home or building that your family visits could contain lead hazards. You and your family should use caution when visiting these establishments.