What are common sources of lead exposure in construction?
In building construction, lead is frequently used for roofs, cornices, tank linings and electrical conduits. In plumbing, soft solder, used chiefly for soldering tinplate and copper pipe joints, is an alloy of lead and tin. Soft solder, in fact, has been banned for many uses in the United States. The use of lead-based paint in residential application also has been banned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. However, since lead-based paint inhibits the rusting and corrosion of iron and steel, it is still used on bridges, railways, ships, lighthouses and other steel structures, although substitute coatings are available. Significant lead exposures also can arise from removing paint from surfaces previously coated with lead-based paint, such as in bridge repair, residential renovation and demolition. With the increase in highway work, including bridge repair, residential lead abatement and residential remodeling, the potential for exposure to lead-based paint has become more common.
