The risks of working with lead
Employees using lead solder to repair radiators may be exposed to excessive amounts of lead.
Lead is a cumulative poison. It can build up in the body over time until symptoms occur.
Exposure can occur through inhalation of lead fumes and airborne dust and ingestion from contaminated hands or food.
Continued exposure can cause kidney damage, nerve and brain damage, paralysis and lead palsy. For more information on the health effects of lead, see WorkSafe's guidance Lead: Safety Basics.
Controlling risks from working with lead
The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 place duties on employers. Those duties include a responsibility to control risks associated with lead processes.
Employers must, so far as is reasonably practicable, eliminate any risk associated with exposure to lead. If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risk, employers must reduce the risk. They must do this so far as is reasonably practicable.
The following guidance may help control the risks from working with lead to repair radiators:
Work area
- Use a lower-temperature fuel, such as natural gas or air, instead of oxyacetylene.
- Use solder with the lowest lead content suitable for the job.
- Use local exhaust ventilation (LEV) to draw fumes and dust away from the operator’s breathing zone.
- Use respiratory protection, such as a P2 disposable or non-disposable mask, to provide additional protection from exposure to lead fumes and dust.
- Enclose the buffer wheel with LEV.
- Clean up using a wet method or vacuum cleaner rated for hazardous dust. For example, a Class M or Class H vacuum cleaner. Do not dry sweep or use compressed air to clean dusty contaminated surfaces.
- Set up the job so the operator is not working close to or over the solder fumes. For example, use a suitable-height jig and provide good lighting.
- Capture lead dross in a bucket of water to prevent the spread of lead contamination.
Eating and drinking
- Ensure the lunch area is isolated from the lead process area and keep it clean to avoid lead cross-contamination. For example, encourage employees to remove work clothes before entering the lunchroom.
- Do not allow eating, drinking, gum chewing or smoking in the lead process area.
- Ensure employees do not carry food, drink, gum or materials used for smoking into the lead process area.
- Encourage employees to wash their hands before eating, drinking or smoking.
Changing and washing facilities
- Ensure a changing and washing area is provided to prevent the spread of lead contamination.
- Set up the wash area with warm running water, soap and a nail brush to remove lead contamination from exposed skin. Larger workplaces may include showering facilities.
- Set up the change area with separate areas for the removal of clean clothes and removal of contaminated clothes. Clean and contaminated clothes should be stored separately, such as in separate lockers.
- Provide on-site laundering facilities for work clothes, for example, overalls, so employees do not take lead-contaminated clothing home.
- If using a commercial laundry service, place contaminated overalls in a sealed plastic bag with a label. Tell the laundry in writing and verbally that the contents are contaminated with lead.
Ideal set-up for high-risk lead processes
The following diagram shows the ideal way to set up a workplace to minimise lead exposure from lead contamination on clothing. This may not be reasonably practical in all workplaces. Even if the workplace in the example is not reasonably practicable, employers should have a process in place where employees:
- remove clothing that may have lead on it
- wash themselves
- put on clean clothing that doesn’t have lead on it
Lead process and lead-risk work
Radiator repair work that potentially exposes employees to lead dust or lead fumes is a lead process.
The work will be lead-risk work if it is reasonably likely to cause an employee’s blood lead level to be above the following levels:
- 0.97 μmol/L (20 μg/dL) for female employees not of reproductive capacity and male employees
- 0.24 μmol/L (5 μg/dL) for female employees of reproductive capacity
Employees who repair radiators will normally have blood tests to determine whether their work is lead-risk work.
WorkSafe must be notified if employees are doing lead-risk work. There are also extra legislative requirements.
Requirements for blood lead level testing
If employees are doing lead-risk work, they must have regular blood lead level testing. The following information explains the frequency of testing for women and men:
Frequency of monitoring
Women not of reproductive capacity and men
Once every 6 months:
Blood lead level less than 0·48 µmol/L (10 µg/dL).
Once every 3 months:
Blood lead level at or above 0·48 µmol/L (10 µg/dL) but less than 0·97 µmol/L (20 µg/dL).
Once every 6 weeks:
Blood lead level at or above 0·97 µmol/L (20 µg/dL).
Women of reproductive capacity
Once every 6 months:
Not applicable.
Once every 3 months:
Blood lead level less than 0.24 µmol/L (5 µg/dL).
Once every 6 weeks:
Blood lead level at or above 0·24 µmol/L (5 µg/dL) but less than 0.48 µmol/L (10 µg/dL).
Removal from lead-risk work
An employee with blood lead levels above the removal levels in the following information must immediately stop doing the lead-risk work.
Women not of reproductive capacity and men:
Blood lead level at or above 1·45 µmol/L (30 µg/dL).
Women of reproductive capacity:
Blood lead level at or above 0·48 µmol/L (10 µg/dL).
The blood test results must be sent to WorkSafe and the employee must see a medical practitioner within 7 days.
Return to lead-risk work
The employee can only return to the lead-risk work when their blood lead level results are less than those in the following information.
Women not of reproductive capacity and men:
Blood lead level at or below 0·97 µmol/L (20 µg/dL).
Women of reproductive capacity:
Blood lead level at or below 0·24 µmol/L (5 µg/dL).
For more information, see WorkSafe's Lead Compliance Code.
Legal duties
Employers have legal duties in relation to lead-based work and health monitoring. WorkSafe has guidance about these legal duties. See the guidance, Lead at Work: Legal Duties.