OSHA Lead Standards Serve a Very Important Purpose

Jun 17
08:11

2010

RJ Sullivan

RJ Sullivan

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Lead can be dangerous when exposed to in little doses for a long period of time or in large doses in a short period of time. Either way the metal is toxic and can cause serious health risks. OSHA has established standards to assist businesses in workplace safety as it pertains to lead exposure.

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Understanding more about OSHA Lead Standards can help you stay safe and keep your co-workers safe. Lead as most of us already know is a base metal that can be used in a variety of ways. However,OSHA Lead Standards Serve a Very Important Purpose  Articles it also happens to be toxic and this in turn makes it dangerous unless it is used properly. OSHA has established Lead Standards that help in dealing properly and safely with lead.

These standards help in protecting those who have to work with lead and also those who are going to be exposed to lead. Secondly, these standards also help in ensuring that the workplace is properly monitored and the standards also deal with properly training employees that will be working with lead.

Another aspect covered by OSHA Lead standards involves covering various activities including renovation and demolition involving lead based materials. In addition, these standards also deal with removal of lead based paint that can help ensure that workers are able to perform their tasks safely and without risk of endangering their health.

These standards also deal with various kinds of working environments and deal with ensuring that workers that are going to work with lead are properly trained to perform their tasks.

Companies therefore will need to formulate plans such as Medical Surveillance Programs and Exposure Control Plans as well as Air Monitoring procedures. In addition, there is a need understand how to use as well as take care of respirators. These and other plans will help ensure that workers stay safe when working with and being around lead.

Even though lead is found everywhere, it can, when found in large amounts, cause fatalities to those who are exposed to high levels of lead. This is why it pays for employers to make use of the lead standards as laid out by OSHA. These standards will explain how lead enters the body which can be through inhalation and through ingestion. Once lead gets into the human body it can enter the bloodstream and in this way cause severe health concerns including premature death.