The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD's) Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing strongly recommend that after lead hazard control interventions all walls, ceilings, floors, and other horizontal surfaces be cleaned using a three-step process to reduce lead-contaminated dust and debris. The three steps are: an initial vacuuming using a machine equipped with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter (HEPA vacuum), wet wash with a lead cleaner, and a final HEPA vacuum. This study evaluated the effectiveness of two cleaning protocols: (1) the HUD-recommended three-step procedure, and (2) an abbreviated two-step cleaning procedure that omits the final HEPA vacuum. Cleaning procedures were evaluated in 27 dwelling units that had undergone significant lead hazard control interventions likely to produce lead dust. Dust lead samples were collected on floors and in window sills and troughs prior to the lead control hazard intervention, after the wet wash step of the cleaning procedure, and after completion of the second HEPA vacuuming. The results of the study demonstrate that dust lead surface loading on smooth and cleanable surfaces following the three-step and two-step cleaning procedures can achieve 1995 federal guidance dust clearance levels and levels substantially lower. Although the dust lead clearance rates before and after the second HEPA vacuum were the same, the time saved by omitting the second HEPA is small relative to the other elements of the cleaning process.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines on lead hazard control instruct contractors to dean floors, windows, walls, ceilings, and other horizontal surfices to remove lead-contaminated dust and debris after lead interventions are conducted. This dust removal activity adds costs to each project. The need to dean floors and windows is well documented in. the HUD gdelines. However, there is substantially less documentation to support the recommendation to dean wails and ceilings. We exmined whether it is necessary to dean wails and ceilings after lead hazard control (LHC) interventions by comparing dust lead loadings measured on these surfces before an LHC intervention to dust lead loadings after the intervention. Twenty-two dwelling units undergoing substantial LHC measures consistent with the HUD gdelines were enrolled in the study. There was a significant increase in dust lead loading on walls and ceilings between the preand postintervention. The change in wall dust lead loading was substantial and created potentially harmful lead. exposures. Although statisticaly significant, the change in ceiling dust lead loading was minimal and the postintervention dust lead loadings were far below the existing federal floor dust lead cearance standard. These results strongly support the recommendations in the HUD guidelines to dean walls after LHC interventions and do not provide sufficient jusification to alter the current recommendation to dean ceilings after lead work. Key words lead dust, lead hazards, lead paint, lead poisoning wall and ceiling dust lead.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines on lead hazard control instruct contractors to clean floors, windows, walls, ceilings, and other horizontal surfaces to remove lead-contaminated dust and debris after lead interventions are conducted. This dust removal activity adds costs to each project. The need to clean floors and windows is well documented in the HUD guidelines. However, there is substantially less documentation to support the recommendation to clean walls and ceilings. We examined whether it is necessary to clean walls and ceilings after lead hazard control (LHC) interventions by comparing dust lead loadings measured on these surfaces before an LHC intervention to dust lead loadings after the intervention. Twenty-two dwelling units undergoing substantial LHC measures consistent with the HUD guidelines were enrolled in the study. There was a significant increase in dust lead loading on walls and ceilings between the pre- and postintervention. The change in wall dust lead loading was substantial and created potentially harmful lead exposures. Although statistically significant, the change in ceiling dust lead loading was minimal and the postintervention dust lead loadings were far below the existing federal floor dust lead clearance standard. These results strongly support the recommendations in the HUD guidelines to clean walls after LHC interventions and do not provide sufficient justification to alter the current recommendation to clean ceilings after lead work.ImagesFigure 1