U.S. recognises danger of lead

Construction companies in the U.S. will soon have to comply with strict new guidelines designed to protect children from lead exposure.

Any firms - including electricians, plumbers, painters and builders - that repair or renovate schools, housing, or childcare facilities that were built before 1978 will be subject to the guidelines.

The safety guidelines, which have been published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), come into effect in April 2010. They are designed to reduce the exposure of children to dangerous levels of lead based paint.

The rules will apply to all building work that disturbs more than six square feet of lead-based paint. The use of lead-based paint in residential properties was banned in 1978 because of its harmful effects on children and adults.

Pre-school children are most effected by exposure to lead based paint because their nervous systems are more vulnerable to the effects of ingesting the chemical.

A widespread education campaign is to accompany the introduction of the guidelines, promoting awareness of the new rules.

The EPA’s assistant administrator for prevention, pesticides and toxic substances, James Gulliford, said: “Childhood lead poisoning is a preventable disease.

“EPA’s new rule requires contractors and maintenance workers who renovate and repair older housing, child care facilities and schools to follow common sense lead-safe work practices so that children are not exposed to hazardous lead dust.

“By requiring renovators to be certified, we’re also helping consumers identify contractors who are trained in lead-safe work practices.

“Our goal is to eliminate childhood lead poisoning as a major health concern by the year 2010.”