What can lead poisoning do to my child?

Children who swallow lead dust may have problems learning and paying attention. Lead can harm the brain, nerves and kidneys. Lead is especially dangerous for children under the age of six.

Most children with lead poisoning do not look or act sick. Ask your doctor to test your child's blood for lead. This is the only way to know if your child is being lead poisoned.

How do I know if I work with lead?

You may work with lead if you:

• Make or fix batteries

• Melt, cast, or grind lead, brass, or bronze

• Make or fix radiators

• Make or paint ceramics

• Remove old paint

• Tear down or remodel houses, buildings, tanks, or bridges

• Solder

• Work with scrap metal

• Work at a shooting range

• Assemble computers with lead solder

There are many other jobs where lead can be dangerous.

Ask your employer if you work with lead. The law says your employer must tell you about anything at work, which is dangerous. This includes lead.

Get the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for each product you use on the job. An MSDS is a form, which lists the ingredients in a product. Your employer must give you the MSDS if you ask for it. Look at "Section II" of the MSDS to see if the product contains lead.

Ask to see the results of any tests that are done for lead in your work area. You are exposed to lead when you scrape, blast, sand, burn, weld, or cut on surfaces where there is lead paint. Your employer should test these surfaces before you work on them to see if they contain lead. You have a right to see the results of the test.

Get a blood lead test. Adults who are lead poisoned may feel tired, irritable, or get aches and pains. They also can have serious health problems without knowing it.

How can I protect my family from lead poisoning?

• Change into clean clothes and shoes at work before you get into your car or go home. Put dirty work clothes and shoes in a plastic bag.

• Wash your face and hands with soap and warm water before leaving work.

• Take a shower and wash your hair as soon as you get home. (It is better to shower at work if you can.)

• Wash work clothes separately from all other clothes. Empty your work clothes from the plastic bag directly into the washing machine and wash them. Run the empty washing machine again to rinse out the lead.(It is better if your employer washes the work clothes.)

• The law says your employer must provide a place to wash your hands. In high exposure lead jobs, your employer must also provide work clothes and shower.

Does my employer have to protect my health?

Yes! Your employer must follow special regulations to protect you from lead poisoning. Find out more about these regulations. Talk to your employer or your union representative, or call the Occupational Lead Program of the California Department of Health Services at 1-510-622-4332.

Where can I get help?

• For your child:

  Your child may be able to get a free lead test and health check-up through your health insurance or through the CHDP program. Call the CHDP program in your county for more information. Medi-Cal also covers lead tests.

  Look for the telephone number in the front of your phone book in the Government Listings under "County Government Offices, Health Department, Child Health and Disability Prevention."

• Information on lead at work

  Occupational Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, California Department of Health Services

  Call (510) 540-2115 collect and ask for the Occupational Lead Program.

• Complaints about lead at work

  California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA)

  Talk to your employer if you think you have a lead problem at your job. If your employer does not fix the problem, you can call Cal/OSHA to make a complaint. Cal/OSHA will not tell your employer who made the call.

  Look for the telephone number in the front of your phone book in the Government Listings under "State Government Offices, Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Occupational safety Health."

• Lead dust in your home

  If you think you have a problem with lead dust in your home, contact the Lead Program in your County Health Department.

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   Mailing Address: County of Santa Cruz  Health Services Agency
   1080 Emeline Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 | Phone: 831 454 4000 | Fax: 831 454 4770
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