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Posted By Richard_C
I wonder if someone could offer some advice. We are a medium-size firm of plumbers. Once a month we make a batch of about 20 or so lead slates to go round boiler flues as they go through the roof. These are made in our workshop by 1 man cutting the lead and then using an oxy-acetylene torch to lead burn which is a process like welding but it uses normal lead cut into strips as a filler. A cylinder shape of lead is made and this is then lead burnt onto a flat sheet about 18" square.
I would like to know if we need to monitor the health of the person who performs this ie blood tests. So we need an extractor for the fume or is it good enough to provide ventilation by opening doors and windows. Is there a dangerous fume produced from this process or is this dependant upon the vapourisation of the lead at a temperature way above its melting point.
Thanks for your help
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Posted By Gff
Why don't you buy them in instead?
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Posted By Taff
Hi there,
Suggest that you consult the Control of lead at Work regs.2002. Particularly reg. 3 (duties of employer), R.5 (risk assessment) and R.6 (prevention or control of exposure to lead)and R.10 (medical surveillance).
In my opinion you should not rely on dilution ventilation (open door and windows) but should have a suitable extraction system for removing lead fumes. As the guy performing the task is exposed to lead then he should be under suitable medical surveillance either by a Doctor or employment medical advisor.
Health surveillance and testing is by means of lead concentration tests both in blood and urine.
Would suggest that you consider temporarily suspending this operation and seeking professional assistance asap.
Taff
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
Just to emphasise that you will need to do blood leads before you can decide on the finite risks and the needs for future surveillance.
This process cannot be done in an area not subject to extract ventilation, plus the fact that the use of the torch is likely to cause copious lead fumes and the temperature is uncontrolled. Practice risk export here and get the prefabricated versions made by someone else who is properly geared up to manage the risks. The excess cost differential would be swallowed up by not having to provide and maintain the right environment and thus would be cheaper overall.
Bob
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Posted By Ron Hunter
As Gff suggests - this risk can be readily eliminated. There are any number of proprietary items available of the shelf to suit roof types and materials.
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Posted By Richard_C
Thank you all for your responses with this.
Would the same health surveillance requirements be applicable if we were fitting lead valleys. This requires unrolling a 15" roll of lead and cutting it into 4' sections. Laying it on a template so that it can be shaped into a channel. It is then lifted and placed onto the roof where it is nailed into place and shaped a little more with the use of wooden tools. We are only handling lead and we do this whilst wearing gloves.
Thanks.
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Posted By peter gotch
Hi Richard
Cold cutting is not liable to result in significant exposure. The primary risk will be from falling from the roof or manual handling.
Regards, Peter
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Posted By Ron Hunter
Occupational hygiene and the provision (and use!) of decent welfare (i.e. washing) facilities would be my main concerns, in order to prevent dust ingestion. There is still a considerable amount of catching up to be done with CDM 2007 requirements for provision of adequate welfare.
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Posted By Richard_C
Thank you again for your help.
I have started to make enquiries about the purchase of lead slates and we may be able to find some. The problem has been that the pitch of the roof that we work on is very shallow and therefore lead slates are generally not available. I will recommend that we stop making them because there are obviously problems with the dilution ventilation approach that has been adopted in the past.
I will write a risk assessment for making / fitting lead valleys stressing manual handling, height work, and the imperative high hygiene standards that are required.
Thank you
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