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Protective Clothing
Fact Sheet No. OSHA 93-50 Lead Exposure in Construction (#4 in a Series of 6) PROTECTIVE CLOTHING At no cost to employees, employers must provide workers who are exposed to lead above the PEL and for whom the possibility of skin contamination or skin or eye irritation exist, clean, dry protective work clothing and equipment. Appropriate changing facilities must also be provided. Appropriate protective work clothing and equipment used on construction sites can include: coveralls or other full-body work clothing; gloves; vented goggles or face shields with protective spectacles or goggles; and welding or blasting helmets, when required. Disposable coveralls and separate shoe covers may be used, if appropriate, to avoid the need for laundering. Non-disposable coveralls shall be replaced daily. If an employee leaves the work area wearing protective clothing, the clothing should be cleaned with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter vacuum equipment to remove loose particle contamination; or as an alternative, the coveralls should be removed. Before respirators are removed, HEPA vacuuming or other suitable method, such as damp wiping, shall be used to remove loose particle contamination on the respirator and at the face-mask seal. Use work garments of appropriate size, and use duct tape to reinforce their seams (e.g., underarm, crotch, and back). Contaminated clothing that is to be cleaned, laundered or disposed of shall be placed in closed containers. Containers shall be labeled with the following warning: CAUTION: Clothing contaminated with lead. Do not remove dust by blowing or shaking. Dispose of lead- contaminated wash water in accordance with applicable local, state, or federal regulations. Persons responsible for handling contaminated clothing shall be informed of the potential hazard in writing. At no time shall lead be removed from protective clothing or equipment by any means that disperses lead into the work area, such as brushing, shaking, or blowing. At no time shall workers be allowed to leave the worksite wearing lead-contaminated clothing or equipment, e.g. shoes, coveralls, or head gear. All contaminated clothing and equipment shall be prevented from reaching the worker's home or vehicle. This is an essential step in reducing the movement of lead contamination from the workplace into a worker's home and provides added protection to employees and their families. Gloves and protective clothing should be appropriate for the specific chemical exposure (e.g., solvents and caustics). Cotton gloves provide some protection against the contamination of hands and cuticles with lead dust. Workers should wear clothing that is appropriate for existing weather and temperature conditions under the protective clothing. Heat stress: Workers wearing protective clothing can face a risk from heat stress. Additionally, heat stress may be an important concern when working in a hot environment or within containment structures. Heat stress is caused by a number of interacting factors, including: environmental conditions, type of protective clothing worn, the work activity required, and the individual characteristics of the employee. In situations where heat stress is a concern, employers should use appropriate work/rest regimens and provide heat stress monitoring that includes measuring employee's heart rates, body temperatures, and weight loss. A source of water or electrolytic drink shall be close to the work area (in a non-contaminated eating/drinking area) so that it will be used often. Workers should wash their hands and face prior to drinking any fluid. Frequent fluid intake throughout the day will replace body fluids lost to evaporation. If such measures are used to control heat stress, protective clothing can be safely worn to provide the needed protection against lead exposure. The possibility of heat stress and its signs and symptoms should be discussed with all workers. This is one of a series of fact sheets highlighting U.S. Department of Labor programs. It is intended as a general description only and does not carry the force of legal opinion.

Housekeeping And Personal Hygiene Practices
Fact Sheet No. OSHA 93-49 Lead Exposure in Construction HOUSEKEEPING AND PERSONAL HYGIENE PRACTICES Lead is a cumulative and persistent toxic substance that poses a serious health risk. A rigorous housekeeping program and adherence to basic personal hygiene practices will minimize employee exposure to lead. In addition, these two elements of the worker protection program will help to prevent taking lead- contaminated dust out of the worksite and home to the workers' families, thus ensuring that the duration of lead exposure does not extend beyond the workshift and providing added protection to employees and their families. Housekeeping An effective housekeeping program involves at least daily removal of accumulations of lead dust and lead-containing debris. Vacuuming lead dust with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA)- filtered equipment or wetting it with water before sweeping are effective control measures. Such cleaning operations should be conducted, whenever possible, at the end of the day, after normal operations cease. Furthermore, all persons doing the cleanup should be provided with suitable respiratory protection and personal protective clothing to prevent contact with lead. In addition, all lead-containing debris and contaminated items accumulated for disposal should be collected and put into sealed impermeable bags or other closed impermeable containers. Bags and containers should be appropriately labeled as lead-containing waste. These measures are especially important as they minimize additional sources of exposure that engineering controls generally are not designed to control. Personal Hygiene Practices To minimize exposure to lead, special attention should be given to workers' personal hygiene. The employer must provide and ensure that workers use washing facilities. Clean change areas, and separate non-contaminated eating areas must also be provided. Cars should be parked where they will not be contaminated with lead. These measures will reduce the worker's period of exposure to lead and the ingestion of lead, ensure that the duration of lead exposure does not extend beyond the workshift, significantly reduce the movement of lead from the worksite, and provide added protection to employees and their families. Change Areas: The employer must provide a clean change area equipped with storage facilities for street clothes and a separate area with facilities for the removal and storage of lead-contaminated protective work clothing and equipment. This separation is essential in preventing cross contamination of the employee's clothing. Clean change areas are to be used for taking off street clothes, suiting up in clean working clothes (protective clothing), donning respirators prior to beginning work, and dressing in street clothes after work. No lead-contaminated items should enter this area. Work clothing must not be worn away from the job site. Under no circumstances shall lead-contaminated work clothes be laundered at home or taken from the worksite, except to be laundered professionally or properly disposed of following applicable Federal, state, and local regulations. Showers: When there is potential for extensive contamination of the employees' skin, hair, and protective clothing, shower facilities must be provided if feasible so that exposed employees can wash lead from their skin and hair prior to leaving the worksite. Where showers are provided, employees must change out of their work clothes and shower before changing into their street clothes and leaving the worksite. Workers who do not change into clean clothing before leaving the worksite may contaminate their homes and automobiles with lead dust. Other members of the household may then be exposed to harmful amounts of lead. Personal Practices (eating, drinking, etc.): The employer must ensure that employees who work with lead either clean or remove their protective clothing and wash their hands and face prior to eating, drinking, smoking or applying cosmetics and that these latter practices are never permitted while in the work area or in areas subject to the accumulation of lead. HEPA vacuuming can be used to remove loose contamination from the work clothing prior to eating. Washing Facilities: Adequate washing facilities shall be provided for employees. Such facilities shall be in near proximity to the worksite and provided with water, soap, and clean towels to enable employees to remove lead contamination from their skin. Contaminated water from washing facilities and showers must be disposed of in accordance with applicable local, state, or federal regulations. End-of-Day Procedures: Workers who are exposed to lead should follow these procedures upon finishing work for the day: Place disposable coveralls and shoe covers with the lead waste; Place lead-contaminated clothes, including work shoes, and personal protective equipment for laundering/cleaning (by the employer) in a closed container; Take a shower and wash hair; and Change into street clothes. This is one of a series of fact sheets highlighting U.S. Department of Labor programs. It is intended as a general description only and does not carry the force of legal opinion.