High-risk Jobs

Lead is present in many structures that construction workers may be involved with, including houses, bridges, schools, and other buildings and facilities. The most prominent source of lead when working in the construction industry is lead-based paint (also referred to as "lead paint"). Though paint that contained lead was outlawed in 1978, houses and other structures built before that date often still have lead paint, even if it is beneath layers of new paint. This new paint can slowly chip away, exposing the lead paint underneath. The lead paint can also be exposed during renovations or repainting. Lead may also be present in pipes and plumbing, in glass, in the linings of tanks and radiators, and in solder.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 838,000 workers in the construction industry are potentially exposed to lead. Workers may encounter lead dust or fumes while performing the following tasks:

• Removal, renovation, or demolition of structures coated with lead paint
• Installation, maintenance, or demolition of lead pipes and fittings
• Transportation or disposal of materials or waste containing lead
• Product installation or maintenance in structures coated with lead paint

To learn more about Construction Lead Exposure visit our Cal/OSHA Construction Lead Exposure Online Training web page.