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DECONTAMINATION 12

In this chapter you will learn about:2 OSHA requirements for the decontamination

process.2 How to wash up and handle work clothes and

PPE to protect yourself and your family.

What is Decontamination?Decontamination prevents you from being exposed to lead after

you remove your protective equipment and leave the work area. Itwill also protect your family and the public since you will not carrylead contaminants outside or home.

Decontamination can be as simple as washing dirty hands or itcan be a full multi-decontamination setup as required onhazardous waste sites. For lead the process of decontamination ismuch like that for asbestos. You will remove your work suit andleave it behind. You will wash up and put your street clothes backon only after you are clean.

Why Pay So Much Attention to Decontamination?Decontamination can protect you and your family from getting

sick. It also keeps the job site, neighborhood, and your car and

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house free from lead. It is your employer's responsibility to provideadequate facilities, time, and procedures for decontamination. It isyour responsibility to make sure you use them properly.

How Important is A Shower?Right now whether a particular abatement job has a shower

depends to a large extent on who wrote the specs for the job.CPWR feels strongly that showers are needed on every job, andOSHA requires a shower unless the employer can prove it isn’tfeasible. Simply washing the face and hands, while better thannothing at all, may leave lead dust on other parts of the body. Thislead will then be carried home. Showering after you get home maybe too late.

In order for a shower to be useful in cold weather, there mustbe a supply of heated water. It is unacceptable to expect workers toshower in cold water during the winter.

Where a shower is not available, workers must have cleanrunning water for wash up. NIOSH found that lack of propercleaning facilities was one of the biggest problem they found onlead abatement jobs around the country.

What is the Proper Way toDecontaminate on a Lead Job?

There are several ways to decontaminate. HUD guidelines, theOSHA Lead Standard, and some states have differentrequirements. The OSHA Lead Standard requires showers (iffeasible) if workers are exposed above the PEL (50 ug/m ). HUD3

recommends showers and requires that on-site washing facilitiesand a clean change area separate from the work area beestablished.

The decon or personal clean up area should be designated at thestart of the job. After cleaning, the decon or clean area should beimmediately sealed from the work area before any lead dust can bedisturbed to re-contaminate the area, especially if an optionalnegative air system is not in place.

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If the clean area is not immediately next to the work area, putample poly on the floor from the work area to the decon area tomake sure lead dust is not tracked around. Sometimes workersdress-out in two protective suits when traveling ashort distance from the work area to the shower orclean up area is required. The outer suit is removedin the equivalent of an equipment room next to orjust inside the work area and then they travel in theremaining suit and PPE to the decon area.

At the Start of the Day – Change out of street clothes and leave them in a locker in a

clean area. Put on clean coveralls, gloves, and boot covers if used.You may want to use duct tape to seal wrists and ankles, as well asusing tape to take up slack in the suit.

Wear the appropriate respirator, a hard hat, and otherprotective gear as needed (such as steel toed-boots, face shields,goggles, solvent impermeable gloves, hearing protection, etc.).

Wear clothing that is appropriate for the weather conditions:heavier clothing in the winter, lighter clothing in the summer.

Leaving the Work Area – The following steps are the absolute minimum that should be

taken every time a person leaves the contaminated area:

» HEPA vacuum heavily contaminated protective workclothing before taking it off.

» Leave re-usable boot covers if worn in the work area.» Lead is a sticky substance, so proper decontaminating

requires some scrubbing. Workers who have contaminatedtheir hands should scrub under their fingernails with anail brush. Every time you smoke, eat, or drink youcan be swallowing lead unless you have scrubbedyour hands clean with soap and water.

» Remove clothing and other protective equipment in the

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equipment (dirty) room of the changing area. Roll yoursuit down so that you keep lead dust off your skin andunderwear. Leave your work boots in the work area. Takeoff your respirator last.

» Clean all protective gear that will be reused withdetergent and water. Wash your face and handsthoroughly with soap and water if there isn’t a shower.

At the End of the Work Day – The following steps must be taken as an absolute minimum

decontamination:

» Put all disposable garments in lead contaminated wastecontainers. Put clothing that will be washed in a closedcontainer that is designated for that purpose. Do not takelead contaminated clothes home with you. Safety bootscan be brought from job to job in a plastic bag.

» Clean protective equipment with detergent and water.» Wash your face and hands thoroughly with soap and

water. Be sure to clean under your fingernails. Take ashower on the job if possible. If not, take a showerimmediately at home. Wash your hair. The best setupfor decontamination includes a shower

Decons will have a series of three chambers (maybe separatedby air locks). A three chamber decon will have rooms in this orderfor leaving the work area:

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1. An equipment or dirty room where you leave contaminatedequipment and work boots and remove and properly disposeof all protective clothing and equipment – except yourrespirator.

2. A shower where you wet your respirator first, remove it, andplace it out of the way. Finish your shower, including yourhair and body. If your respirator filters get wet, you mustthrow them away and replace them.

3. A clean room where you dry off and dress in street clothes.

When entering the work area, you must put on clean garments,respirators and tape up in the clean room. Pick up contaminatedgear (such as a hard hat) and tools where you left them in theequipment (dirty room). Then enter the work area.

What Must Be Done toKeep Up a Good Decon Program?

In general, the decontamination facilities must be maintainedat a high level of readiness. When the decontamination unitbecomes dirty, damaged, or no longer has all of the items neededworkers will be hesitant to use it or take it seriously. A smallproblem, such as no towels to dry off with or no locks on the streetclothes lockers, may be enough to discourage use.

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Key Facts for Chapter 12

The best way to keep lead dust away from your mouth is towash your hands and face and take a shower every time youtake off your safety gear.

OSHA requires a shower, but not every job has one. Youshould at least wash your hands and face with soap andwater every time you leave the job.

Lead workers can take home a lot of lead dust on theirclothes. Try not to take your work clothes home. If you haveto take them home, tie them up in a plastic bag. Wash themapart from the rest of your family's wash.

Two models of “pop-up deconframes” with disposable polycoverings and doors –

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You can construct a three chamber decon with six side panelsand four door panels. Roofs and floor are separate sheets of poly.

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You can construct a PVC pipe and poly decon.