Personal Protective Clothing & Equipment

Workers who are exposed to lead must be given personal protective clothing and equipment at no cost. The employers are responsible for providing this equipment, which can include coveralls or similar full-body clothing, gloves, hats, shoes or disposable shoe coverings, face shields, vented goggles, or other effective protection. This is to prevent workers' normal clothing from being contaminated. Employers must also provide respirators when needed, which will be discussed in detail later.

Employers must provide their employees with clean and dry protective clothing and equipment at least weekly. For employees whose exposure exceeds 200 micrograms per cubic meter on average, the protective clothing must be provided on a daily basis. Employers are also responsible for cleaning, repairing, maintaining, and replacing this clothing and equipment when needed. Any clothing or equipment that is sent elsewhere for cleaning or repair must be put in a container that does not allow the lead to escape. Anyone who has to handle this container or its contents must to be notified of its contents in person. The container must be labeled with the following warning information:

DANGER: CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT CONTAMINATED WITH LEAD, MAY DAMAGE FERTILITY OR THE UNBORN CHILD. CAUSES DAMAGE TO THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. DO NOT EAT, DRINK OR SMOKE WHEN HANDLING. DO NOT REMOVE DUST BY BLOWING OR SHAKING. DISPOSE OF LEAD CONTAMINATED WASH WATER IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL REGULATIONS.

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