Site housekeeping
How to set up the site
When working on the interior
How to clean the site
How to dispose of lead contaminated waste
How to set up the site
When working on the exterior of the building:
- Complete exterior work before doing the interior. Remove any lead dust in the house generated by exterior work during the interior clean up.
- Cover the ground and vegetation with plastic sheeting extended two metres from the base of the house and an additional metre for each storey to catch dust and debris.
- Use impervious materials such as tarpaulin or plastic sheeting to prevent dust from travelling to neighbouring properties. Attach the tarpaulin to house guttering at the top and to the plastic ground sheet at the bottom.
- Use bricks or rocks to hold the edges of the plastic sheeting in place and place wooden studs under the edges of the sheeting to contain liquid.
- Close windows and doors to prevent dust from entering the building.
- Avoid working in windy conditions, as the lead dust and paint might be blown off the plastic sheeting as it dries.
- Move play equipment and personal belongings away from the work area and cover sandpits.
- Advise the neighbours to close windows and doors while exterior work is being done, move play equipment away from the boundary fence and cover their own sandpits.
- Exclude all others from the work area, especially pregnant women, children and pets.
When working on the interior
- Remove furniture, rugs, curtains, food, clothing and other household items.
- Cover the floor with disposable double plastic sheeting and tape the sheeting to the skirting boards. Dispose of the top sheet with the debris.
- Keep the bottom sheet in place during the wash down.
- Cover or temporarily remove carpet to prevent it becoming contaminated with lead dust. Lead dust is difficult to remove from carpet, even with a HEPA vacuum cleaner. Carpet exposed to chalking or flaking paint, may need to be replaced.
- Cover openings, such as gaps around pipes and between floorboards, immovable surfaces such as counter-tops and shelves with plastic sheeting and heavy-duty tape to prevent dust from entering.
- Tape around the door seals of refrigerators.
- Turn off forced-air heating and air conditioning. Cover and seal doors and air ducts for heating and cooling systems.
- Cover entrances to the work area with two lengths of plastic sheeting which overlap each other in the middle. Tape the outside edges at the top and sides to the door jambs.
- Close the windows unless using a torch or open flame or chemical strippers.
- Use exhaust fans when using chemical strippers indoors.
- Repair or replace torn sheets immediately.
- Exclude all others from the work area, especially pregnant women, children and pets.
How to clean the site
- Remain in protective clothing, including gloves and respirator when cleaning the site.
- Place large disposable items including the plastic sheet and other debris into tough plastic bags.
- Vacuum all surfaces including the tarpaulin used for exterior work with a suitable commercial vacuum cleaner fitted with a HEPA filter.
- Wet-clean hard surfaces using a carpet steam cleaner or by wet mopping several times. Put dust into tough sealable plastic bags. Alternatively, some contract cleaning services offer an effective chemical method of removing lead dust.
- Do not use a broom, compressed air or a vacuum cleaner without a HEPA filter as it will spread lead dust.
- Use a spray bottle to wet down all dust and debris lying on the plastic sheeting before taking them up.
- Wipe down all surfaces in the work areas with a damp cloth.
- Wash the area with 25 grams of 5% trisodium phosphate (TSP) in 5 litres of hot water or sugar soap. Renew the solution frequently to prevent it becoming contaminated.
- Dispose of cloths and mops to avoid spreading lead dust during cleaning.
- Vacuum dry surfaces such as skirting boards, architraves, window sills, casings, shelves and counter-tops until no dust or residue remains.
- Dampen dusty outside areas with spray from a garden hose and sweep and collect debris. Avoid dry sweeping since it spreads lead dust.
- Shovel paint debris into heavy-duty plastic bags.
- Remove the top layer of contaminated soil and put into tough sealable plastic bags.
- Clean tools with TSP solution or sugar soap.
- Clean respirators after use and store them in a container away from the lead source.
- Remove contaminated clothing before leaving the work area and place clothes in a plastic bag until washed.
- Clean up the site frequently throughout the day and vacuum at the end of each day.
How to dispose of lead contaminated waste
- Place lead-containing debris into deflated heavy-duty plastic bags and seal them.
- Pour lead-contaminated water generated as a result of wet scraping or sanding, or during clean-up, into a strong, securely sealed container.
- Provide short-term secure storage.
- Transport debris and solid waste materials containing lead to waste systems.
- Check with the waste management section of the local council about proper waste disposal.
- Ensure that all bulky items are covered during transportation.
The lead paint removal/residential buildings audit checklist and the lead audit checklist will help you identify and control the risks of working with lead.
More information for homeowners when removing lead-based paint is available from:
- AS 4361.2 - Guide to lead paint management - Residential and commercial buildings (non-Queensland Government link)
- Department of Environment and Heritage, Six-Step Guide To Painting Your Home (PDF, 2.73 mB) (non-Queensland Government link).
More information about health effects of lead is available from:
- Department of Environment and Heritage, Lead alert facts: Lead and Your Health (non-Queensland Government link)
- The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (non-Queensland Government link)
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