Services & Capabilities
Lead Testing Services: Lead Inspections, Surveys, Collection & Analysis
Lead is a toxic metal that was used for many years in products found in and around our homes. Lead can also be emitted into the air from motor vehicles and industrial sources, and can enter drinking water from plumbing materials. Lead may cause a range of health effects, from behavioral problems and learning disabilities, to seizures and even death. Children six years old and under are most at risk. If you suspect you have lead in your home or environment, give Absolute Resource Associates a call today.
LEAD FAQS: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT LEAD, LEAD POISONING AND LEAD TESTING
Facts about lead
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Lead exposure can harm young children and babies even before they are born.
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Even children who seem healthy can have high levels of lead in their bodies.
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You can get lead in your body by breathing or swallowing lead dust, or by ingesting soil or paint chips containing lead.
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In most cases, lead-based paint that is in good condition is not a hazard.
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Removing lead-based paint improperly can increase the danger to your family.
Health effects of lead
Childhood lead poisoning remains a major environmental health problem in the United States!
If not detected early, children with high levels of lead in their bodies can suffer from:
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Damage to the brain and nervous system
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Behavior and learning problems, such as hyperactivity
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Slowed growth
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Hearing problems
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Headaches
Lead is also harmful to adults. Adults can suffer from:
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Reproductive problems (in both men and women)
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High blood pressure and hypertension
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Nerve disorders
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Memory and concentration problems
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Muscle and joint pain
Are you renovating, repairing or painting a home, child care facility or school built before 1978?
Beginning April 22, 2010, federal law requires that contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb more than six square feet of paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and trained to follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.
Are you planning to buy or rent a home built before 1978?
Many houses and apartments built before 1978 have paint that contains lead (called lead-based paint, or lead paint). Federal law requires that individuals receive certain information before renting or buying a pre-1978 housing:
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LANDLORDS must disclose known information on lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards before leases take effect. Leases must include a disclosure form about lead-based paint.
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SELLERS must disclose known information on lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards before selling a house.
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Sales contracts must include a disclosure form about lead-based paint.
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Buyers have up to ten days to check for lead hazards.
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More information on the lead disclosure program
LEAD Exposure in indoor shooting & firing ranges
If you work in or use an indodor firing range, you may be exposed to unhealtlhy levels of lead dust. Shooting ranges must have proper health and safety protocols in place to protect employees and customers from lead exposure. If you are unsure, ask the facility owner about their lead safety protocols and whether they perform regular lead inspections for the facility.
There are several scenarios which can cause lead exposure to employees and customers of firing ranges:
- Breathing lead fumes from gun "smoke"
- Exposure to lead dust released when gun is fired
- Airborne lead dust when loading and cleaning guns
- Exposure to settled & airborne lead dust when cleaning the facility
- Lead ingestion when eating or drinking items containing microscopic lead particles.
- Carrying lead home on clothing, hair and skin, especially if there are children in the home.
For more information: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ranges/
https://www.osha.gov/lead
ARA's Lead Services
ARA is certified to perform lead inspections in Vermont, Maine, and is one of only a few Certified Lead Inspectors in NH. For your commercial lead based paint testing services, ARA’s IAQ Team is Lead Certified to safely inspect your painted & varnished surfaces for lead via:
- Xray Fluorescence Analyzer (XRF)*
- Paint Chip Samples
- Lead Dust wipes
*The XRF can detect lead in 26 layers of paint
ARA is certified to conduct the analysis of lead in soil, lead in paint chips, dust wipes and air filters, including performing TCLP for disposal requirements.
ARA’s Lead services include:
- Lead Inspections
- Lead in Water Testing
- Lead Surveys
- Sample Collection
- Certified Lab Analysis
Where lead is found
The Most Common Sources of Lead Poisoning are:
- Deteriorating lead-based paint
- Lead contaminated dust
- Lead contaminated residential soil
PAINT
The federal government banned lead-based paint from housing in 1978, and some states stopped its use even earlier. Many homes and buildings built before 1978 have lead paint, however. If you live or work in an old building, you should have it tested for lead, and pay attention to high traffic areas in which the paint would experience heavy wear and tear, such as windows and window sills, doors and door frames, stairs, railings, and banisters, porches and fences.
SOIL
Soil can pick up lead from exterior paint, or other sources such as past use of leaded gas in cars. Lead in soil can be a hazard when children play in the yard inhale the lead dust, or when people bring soil into the house on their shoes. Contact ARA to find out about testing your soil for lead.
DUST
Household dust can pick up lead from deteriorating lead-based paint or from contaminated soil tracked into a home. Lead dust can form when lead-based paint is dry scraped, dry sanded, or heated. Dust also forms when painted surfaces bump or rub together. Lead chips and dust can get on surfaces and objects that people touch. Settled lead dust can re-enter the air when people vacuum, sweep or walk through it.
WATER
Your home might have plumbing with lead or lead solder. You cannot see, smell or taste lead, and boiling your water will not get rid of lead. If you think your plumbing might have lead in it:
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Use only cold water for drinking and cooking.
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Run water for 15 to 30 seconds before drinking it, especially if you have not used your water for a few hours.
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Call your local health department, water supplier or Absolute Resource Associates to find out about testing your water.
YOUR JOB
If you work with lead, you could bring it home on your hands or clothes. Shower and change clothes before coming home. Launder your work clothes separately from the rest of your family's clothes.
OTHER POSSIBLE SOURCES OF LEAD
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Old painted toys and furniture.
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Food and liquids stored in lead crystal or lead-glazed pottery or porcelain. Food can become contaminated because lead can leach in from these containers.
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Lead smelters or other industries that release lead into the air.
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Hobbies that use lead, such as making pottery or stained glass, or refinishing furniture.
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Folk remedies that contain lead, such as "greta" and "azarcon" used to treat an upset stomach.
Do you need
- Lead Risk Assessment
- Lead Inspection, or
- Lead Paint Survey (aka Lead Determination)?
Here's the DiFFERENCE:
Lead Risk Assessment
• A Lead Risk Assessment is required for buildings that may be occupied by children under the age of 6.
• You are essentially assessing the lead exposure risk to children spending a significant amount of time in the space.
• A Risk Assessment involves a thorough evaluation of all potential lead hazards, including lead in paint, dust, water, and soil.
• The person performing the assessment must have a valid Lead Risk Assessor’s license.
• If you need a Lead Safe Certificate or Compliance Certificate, you must hire a Risk Assessor (not an Inspector).
• If you are required to provide a Lead Exposure Hazard Reduction Plan (LEHRP), you must hire a Risk Assessor (not an inspector).
Lead Inspection
• If you are performing demolition or renovation of a building that will not be occupied by children under 6 years old, you can request a
Lead Inspection or a Lead Paint Survey (see next section for Lead Surveys)
• A Lead Inspection includes testing for lead-based paint, and evaluating the condition of the paint.
• A Lead Inspection may include dust, soil and water sampling.
• Lead Inspectors can perform full inspections, preliminary inspections, and collect dust wipe samples.
• The person performing the Lead Inspection must have a valid Lead Inspector’s license.
• A Lead Inspector cannot issue a Lead Safe Certificate, Certificate of Compliance, or write a Lead Hazard Reduction Plan (LEHRP).
Lead Survey / Lead Determination
• If you simply need to identify which, if any, painted components in the building contain lead, a more economical option would be to ask for a Lead Paint Survey.
• A Lead Survey, also called a Lead Determination, is typically part of a pre-demo hazardous materials (hazmat) survey.
• A Lead Paint Survey is limited to the testing of any painted components for lead concentrations.
• A Lead Paint Survey does not include dust, soil, or water sampling (although these services may be performed upon request).
• A Lead Paint Survey does not fulfill Lead Safe or Hazard Reduction requirements. If those are required for your project, you must hire a Lead Risk Assessor.
ARA's Lead Testing / Lead Inspection Services
ARA is certified to conduct analysis of lead in soil, paint chips, dust wipes and air filters, including performing TCLP for disposal requirements. ARA’s Lead services include:
- Lead Inspections
- Lead Surveys
- Sample Collection
- Certified Lab Analysis
Risk assessor training is very specialized, and while we do not have a licensed Risk Assessor on staff, we will be happy to refer you to a reputable Lead Risk Assessor should your project require.
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Contractors, renovators, painters, landlords and weekend warriors, here is a great guide to help you be "Lead Safe" and survive an EPA Audit.
Need more info?
Visit https://www.epa.gov/lead
What to do if You suspect lead is in your home or building:
- Call a ARA or a Certified Lead Inspector near you.
- Lead should never be disturbed.
- If lab tests comes back positive for lead, the affected areas should be abated or sealed.
- If you decide to remediate the area, only hire Lead Safe Professionals.
- Test your drinking water for lead.
- If water tests positive for lead, consider replacing pipes.