EPA Lead Supervisor key terms

Paint or other surface coating that contains lead at or above the regulatory threshold used to classify it as a lead hazard, typically 1 milligram per square centimeter or 0.5 percent by weight.

Any condition that can cause harmful lead exposure, including deteriorated lead-based paint, lead-contaminated dust, lead-contaminated soil, and other sources that people can ingest or inhale.

Paint that is peeling, chipping, cracking, chalking, blistering, or otherwise separating from the surface it covers, creating a source of lead dust and paint chips.

A surface that rubs or slides against another surface during normal use, such as window jambs and sashes, door edges, and stair treads, causing paint to wear into dust.

A surface that is repeatedly struck or damaged during normal use, such as door frames and baseboards, which can chip or crush lead-based paint into dust and debris.

An interior surface that a young child can mouth or chew, such as a window sill or railing, generally defined as being within about five feet of the floor.

The concentration of lead measured in a person's blood, usually reported in micrograms per deciliter. It is the primary biological indicator of recent lead exposure.

A blood lead level at or above the current public health reference value, which triggers clinical follow-up, environmental investigation, and efforts to reduce the person's exposure.

Settled dust on floors, window sills, or window troughs that contains lead at or above the applicable regulatory standard, creating a risk of ingestion or inhalation.

An on-site investigation to determine whether lead-based paint hazards exist, identify their causes, and recommend options for controlling or eliminating them.

A surface-by-surface evaluation to determine the presence, location, and condition of lead-based paint, typically using X-ray fluorescence or laboratory paint-chip analysis.

A field instrument technique that measures lead in paint by exposing surfaces to radiation and reading the returned signal, giving non-destructive results in milligrams per square centimeter.

Official recognition by a government program that an individual or firm has met training, examination, and experience requirements to perform lead-related work in a specific role.

Federal requirement that sellers and landlords disclose known lead-based paint and lead hazards to buyers or tenants and provide the EPA pamphlet before a sale or lease.

Federal rule requiring firms and workers who disturb paint in pre-1978 housing or child-occupied facilities to be certified and to use lead-safe work practices.

The legal limit on the amount of lead in workplace air that a worker may be exposed to over an eight-hour shift, set by OSHA at 50 micrograms per cubic meter.

Any measure or set of measures designed to permanently eliminate lead-based paint hazards, including removal, enclosure, encapsulation, replacement, and cleanup, performed by certified workers.

Temporary measures intended to reduce human exposure to lead hazards, such as paint stabilization, dust cleaning, and safe work practices, until permanent abatement can be completed.

Repairing deteriorated paint by removing loose material, treating the substrate, and applying a primer and finish coat so the surface is intact and no longer a dust source.

A system of plastic sheeting, tape, barriers, and sealed openings that keeps dust and debris inside the work area and prevents lead contamination from spreading to other spaces.

A containment barrier, such as plastic sheeting over a doorway, that is essential to preventing lead dust from escaping the work area and must be maintained throughout the job.

A condition in which air pressure inside the work area is lower than outside, so air flows into the area and contaminated air is filtered before release.

Applying a coating or sealant over lead-based paint to create a durable barrier between the paint and building occupants. It does not remove the paint and requires periodic inspection.

Covering a lead-painted surface with a rigid material, such as drywall or paneling, to separate the paint from occupants. It does not remove the paint and must be maintained.

Removing loose paint with a scraper while keeping the surface wet with water or a misting spray, which reduces airborne dust and paint-chip scattering during abatement.

Clothing, gloves, eye protection, and respiratory protection worn by workers to reduce skin contact and inhalation of lead dust during abatement and cleanup.

A device worn over the face that filters or supplies clean air to protect the wearer from inhaling lead dust; for lead work it must be NIOSH-approved and selected for the task.

A test that checks whether a respirator seals properly against the wearer's face, performed before initial use and periodically thereafter, using qualitative or quantitative methods.

A health screening by a qualified provider to determine whether a worker is physically able to wear a respirator, required before fit testing and respirator use.

A respirator that uses a blower to push air through a filter into a loose-fitting hood or helmet, providing higher protection and easier breathing for lead abatement work.

Disposable coveralls, boot covers, gloves, and head coverings worn during lead work to keep dust off skin and street clothes and to prevent lead from being carried out of the work area.

The process of removing lead dust from workers, tools, and equipment before they leave the work area, typically using HEPA vacuums, washing, and a clean changing area.

A vacuum equipped with a high-efficiency particulate air filter that captures very fine lead dust and is used for cleaning surfaces, containment, and decontamination instead of ordinary vacuums.

A standardized method of collecting settled dust from a measured surface area with a wipe, then analyzing it in a laboratory to determine whether lead levels meet clearance criteria.

The final evaluation after abatement or renovation, combining a visual inspection with dust wipe sampling to confirm that lead hazards have been controlled and the area is safe for occupancy.

The regulatory limits for lead in dust on floors, window sills, and window troughs, together with visual requirements, that a work area must meet before it can be reoccupied.

A careful check for dust, debris, paint chips, and deteriorated paint after cleaning; it is part of clearance and must be passed before dust samples are collected.

A laboratory test that simulates landfill conditions to determine whether lead-contaminated waste is hazardous and how it must be handled and disposed of.

A tracking document that accompanies lead-contaminated waste from the work site to the disposal facility, listing the waste type, quantity, and destination and requiring signatures at each transfer.

Maintaining required documents such as training certificates, medical evaluations, air monitoring results, clearance reports, and waste manifests for the periods specified by regulation.