LEAD ABATEMENT
Lead can be found in a number of applications. It's used to produce many consumer products, such as pipes, cars, electronics and batteries. Lead was also once used in products like paint and gas but the Government of Canada now restricts its use in many products due to the health risks of the highly toxic metal. Although lead-containing paints and coatings do not present a hazard if they are left intact, when they chip, peel or are otherwise damaged, lead dust can be released into the air with the risk of being ingested or inhaled.
Lead can typically be found in homes in the paint or the piping. Plumbing systems in homes built before 1975 may have lead pipes. They may have solder or other plumbing parts that contain lead. This lead can leach into drinking waste sitting in the pipes.
If your home was built before 1960, lead-based paint was likely used both inside and outside the house. If built between 1960 and 1990, the exterior may contain lead-based paint, but the paint on interior surfaces should only contain small amounts of lead or be lead-free. And homes built after 1990 should not contain lead paint since all consumer paints in Canada were lead-free by this time.
Lead paint in your home poses a serious health hazard if the paint is chipping or flaking, or if it is within range of children who might chew on it.
Commercial and industrial applications of lead include bridges, dams, power tools, structures and welding, blazing and soldering products.
WorkSafeBC's ALARA regulations apply to lead, which means that worker exposures to lead in paints and coatings must be kept as low as reasonably achievable. Employers must further reduce or eliminate worker exposure if it can be reasonably done. Lead also has an "R" designation in the WorkSafeBC "Table of Exposure for Chemical and Biological Substances," meaning that the substance has an adverse reproductive effect. The allowable amount of lead in the air, as per WorkSafeBC, cannot be more than 0.05 mg/m3 (milligrams of lead per cubic metre of sampled air) averaged over an eight-hour work shift.
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY
We invest in state-of-the-art technologies and equipment to better serve our customers. For lead abatement, we apply laser ablation technology which uses a focused laser beam to irradiate material and remove it from a solid surface. The benefits of this technology include:
Reduced Environmental Impact
Uses no media, chemicals or water and does not produce any secondary waste to clean-up or dispose
Increased Worker Safety
Requires minimal PPE for operators with real-time, easy to adjust, precise laser control for complete accuracy
Maintains Substrate Integrity
Does not damage the metal substrate, maintaining the strength and integrity of the surface being de-coated
Lead can be highly toxic and should be removed by a professional.
Our lead abatement methods will finish the project safely and efficiently. We have worked on lead abatement projects both small and large throughout BC and our certified professionals are very experienced in dealing with the material. For the past 20 years, we have provided a full range of lead abatement services, including the safe removal the identified lead-containing materials across low to high risk jobs. All of our procedures are in accordance with WorkSafeBC to ensure the safety of our workers and our clients.
