The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today, agreed with the Advisory Committee for Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention (ACCLPP) to move the line for the lead poisoning of children from 10μg/dL to 5μg/dL. μg/dL stands for micro-grams per deciliter, which is a measurement used for blood levels.
The CDC also agreed that the term “level of concern” should also be eliminated. For sometime now, the CDC has realized that any level of lead in the bloodstream should be a level of concern, whether it is 1μg/dL or 5μg/dL.
Impact On Painters
While there is no direct impact on painting contractors, there could be an indirect impact. Lead dust is measured as micro-grams per foot square (μg/ft2). The EPA’s action level is 40μg/ft2 for floors, 250μg/ft2 for interior window sills and 400μg/ft2 for window troughs.
It is a well known fact that the vast majority of non-lead certified painting contractors do not have the knowledge or experience to clean flooring to a 40μg/ft2 level. At 40μg/ft2, a child has a 50/50 chance of now becoming lead poisoned with the new 5μg/dL rating.
Even Lead Safe Certified Firms, need to begin verifying that they meet the EPA’s guidelines. Esca-Tech, Inc. (the manufacturers of D-Lead) has a product that can help painting contractors be more assured that they are meeting these guidelines. While not as accurate as hiring a lead professional to do clearance testing, it can be an additional safety tool to ease both your and your clients’ mind.
Dean, thanks for keeping our readers up to date on the changes. That kit looks like a good tool for contractors to gauge their effectiveness at cleaning. Do you have any idea of many more children the new guidelines would include?