National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week and Protecting Children, Families and Workers from Exposure Hazards

National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW) takes place this year from October 25^th through the 31^st.  The week of recognition is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
 
The goal of NLPPW is to encourage organized, local community events, and to empower families and other stakeholders to take action to help prevent lead poisoning. This is imperative as approximately 3.6 million American households have children under 6 years of age who live in homes with lead exposure hazards. The CDC also reports that about 500,000 American children between ages of 1 and 5 years have blood lead levels greater than or equal to the blood lead reference value (BLRV), the level (5 micrograms per deciliter) at which the agency recommends public health actions.
 
Much of the lead poisoning is due to the fact that the toxic heavy metal can still be found inside and outside of many homes. This may include the home’s water and the soil around the house in some cases; however, the most common source of exposure is from lead-based paint, which was used in many homes built before 1978.
 
Both adults and children can get lead into their bodies by breathing in lead dust (especially during activities such as renovations, repairs or painting) or by swallowing lead dust that settles in food, food preparation surfaces, floors, window sills and other places, or eating paint chips or soil that contain lead. Children can also be exposed to lead dust from an adult’s job or hobbies, and from some metal toys or toys painted with lead-based paints.
 
“Childhood lead poisoning is considered the most preventable environmental disease among young children,” said Zahid Iqbal, MPH, CIH and Technical Director at Clark Seif Clark (CSC). “Preventing exposure is key, whether for children in the home or for adults on the job. At CSC our industrial hygiene, environmental and building science professionals provide lead consulting and testing services to identify lead hazards so they can be eliminated or mitigated to prevent new cases of lead poisoning.”
 
CSC also recently sponsored an educational video about National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/YfaJoRrOpI4
 
To learn more about lead or other industrial hygiene, building science, indoor air quality, environmental, health, and safety testing and consulting services, please visit www.csceng.com, email csc@csceng.com or call (800) 807-1118. 
 
About Clark Seif Clark
CSC was established in 1989 to help clients in both public and private sectors address indoor air quality, occupational, environmental, and health and safety (EH&S) issues. CSC is a leading provider of these services with multiple offices along the western seaboard and southwest. The company believes in science-based protocols and has a strong background in engineering, making them the preferred environmental consultants to industrial clients, healthcare facilities, architects, schools, builders, contractors, developers and real estate professionals.
 

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