Licensed Lead Abatement Contractor

Cardinal Demolition is a licensed lead paint removal contractor located in Louisville, KY. We serve industrial, commercial and institutions throughout the Kentuckiana area. Working with an experienced, licensed and trained lead abatement contractor like Cardinal is imperative, as it means safely and responsibly removing the lead-based paint as required by federal, state and local governments.

Why is Lead Abatement Required?

Lead paint was common before the 1980’s, until it was realized that this paint poses serious health risks to adults and children. Debris and dust from lead-based paints are capable of making their way into the human body, soil, surface water and ductwork, causing lead poisoning. Although lead poisoning is a serious threat for everyone exposed to it, it can be especially damaging to children. Lead exposure has been associated with developmental complications in children and other health risks in adults. Routine maintenance of lead products has the potential of exposing employees to unsafe levels of lead.

Trained and Licensed Lead Abatement Crew

Cardinal’s lead abatement crew members are trained and licensed in all aspects of lead abatement:

• Work area preparation
• Establishing decontamination units
• Using personal protection (respirator and protective clothing)
• Worker decontamination procedures
• Safety considerations in the lead abatement area
• Proper handling and disposal of lead abatement waste
• Returning the work area to a habitable safe environment

Examples of Worksite Setup and Prep

Although the exact type of setup will depend on your job, here are some examples of the setup checklist we use before performing lead abatement:

• Place warning signs outside job site
• Identify work site safety hazards
• Clean and remove anything we can move. Clean, cover and seal the items we cannot move.
• Shut off and seal HVAC system
• Provide adequate airflow and ventilation for workers
• Perform necessary repair work
• Shut off and lock out electric service
• Setup decontamination and wash area
• Mop and seal the floor
• Bring in equipment and tools
• Seal off the work site using plastic sheeting and duct tape
• Setup a locked storage space for waste, materials to be disposed

Importance of Containing the Work Area

The OSHA Lead Standard says that the work area must be separated and sealed off from the non-work area. Cardinal meets or exceeds all requirements mandated by the EPA and OSHA. The benefits of controlling the work area include:

• Protects non-leaded surfaces from lead dust contamination
• Keeps lead dust from spreading outside the work area
• Keeps everyone but trained crew away from the lead exposure
• Makes clean up easier and safer for everyone involved

Controlling Lead Dust During Abatement

Completely or partially demolishing a structure creates a lot of dust. If the structure contains lead paint or lead building materials, safety precautions must be taken. Some common methods of mitigating dust levels are:

• Using a special vacuum with a HEPA exhaust
• Creating containments with negative pressure and HEPA filtered air
• Using specialty tools with HEPA attachment and a shroud when available
• Using wet-mist methods, where water is used to control levels of dust
• Cleaning up as we work and never dry sweeping