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Friday, January 3, 2014

The Work Of A Lead Inspector In San Diego

By Marcia Marks


It is for the purposes of safety and good health that a lead inspector in San Diego is invited to carry out testing procedures. This is usually due to the state law requirements which were put in place after it was observed that lead has negative implication on human life. The term used to refer to the effect of the chemical in the body is lead-poisoning. This is experienced as a result of elevated levels of this chemical in the blood.

The body reaction to such type of poisoning is dependent on the age being very severe in children and for adults it requires to be taken in large quantities to cause significant effects. Children will in most cases exhibit low IQ, learning disability, stunted growth and attention deficit disorders among others while adults will experience problems like nerve disorder, fertility problems, increased blood pressure and muscle and joint pains just to mention some. The sad part is that if no intervention is sought then the complications may result to fatality.

Detecting the presence of Pb and it elements require the expertise. The process involves the collection of a number of samples from various parts of the building. These samples are packaged in the right material, labeled and take to the laboratory for analysis. In the chemistry lab, a certified lab technician does a detailed analysis of the samples.

Sampling is very important; care is taken because improper sampling might not yield the best result. Three sampling methods are commonly in use by many experts; this is because of the variations in the materials used in building. Discussed below are the three commonly used sampling methods.

The first method is known as dust wipe sampling. Samples are collected from areas such as interior window sills, window troughs and floors. One should avoid surfaces such as bricks, cloth-covered furniture, carpets because they will not produce good results. In this method, one collects dust with a moist wipe after which it is folded with the contaminated side facing inward and this should be done aseptically. When sampling, one should have gloves on.

The next method is known as soil sampling. This done because of the fact that gravitational force tends to pull falling Pb particles to the ground. Peeling paint normally ends up in the ground or even exhausts gases from vehicles in properties next to the road. Soil samples are however not required for compliance to hazardous waste regulations but are necessary for safety within the home.

Samples are then taken of paints used in the home through the last method called paint chipping. This is compulsory as many paints are made using Pb elements. This process can be done either manually or by the use of a portable device that can measure the Pb content in the required surface.

After the analysis has been done and the results are out, the lead inspector in San Diego reads and interprets those results. From there he draws conclusions on the extent of Pb poisoning and suggests what should be done to eliminate hazards. Another sampling is then done to ascertain no lead is present in the area.




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