Lead in foundries - Assessing the risk
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Document Type: Guidance Note
Keycode: web only
Industry: Foundries
Category: Lead
Division Author: Dangerous Goods
Publication Date: 06 June 2005
Date First Published: 30 May 2001
Summary: This proforma should be used to carry out a risk assessment on the use of lead in foundries.
Issued: May 2001
The Occupational Health and Safety (Lead) Regulations 2000 require employers, such as those who operate a foundry, to determine whether there is any risk to their employees from the use of lead at the workplace.
The risk assessment pro forma in the attachment will assist employers to assess these risks. Employers must keep a record of the results of any risk assessment and the completion of this pro forma would be considered a suitable record.
The Code of Practice for Lead provides further guidance on the risk assessment process.
Consultation
Employers must consult any employee health and safety representatives when assessing the risk of using lead. If there are no health and safety representatives, it is a good idea to consult employees directly.
Further information:
- The Occupational Health and Safety (Lead) Regulations 2000
- The Code of Practice for Lead (also available from WorkSafe Victoria offices)
- The publication, Lead at Work (also available from WorkSafe Victoria offices)
- The WorkCover website: www.workcover.vic.gov.au
- Contact your nearest WorkSafe Victoria office.
Special Note on Codes of Practice: Codes of Practice made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1985 provide practical guidance to people who have duties or obligations under Victoria’s OHS laws. The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 allows the Minister for Workcover to make Compliance Codes which will provide greater certainty about what constitutes compliance with the OHS laws.
Codes of Practice will continue to be a practical guide for those who have OHS duties and WorkSafe will continue to regard those who comply with the topics covered in the Codes of Practice as complying with OHS laws. WorkSafe will progressively review all Codes of Practice and replace them with guidance material and in appropriate cases, with Compliance Codes.
Note: This guidance material has been prepared using the best information available to WorkSafe Victoria. Any information about legislative obligations or responsibilities included in this material is only applicable to the circumstances described in the material. You should always check the legislation referred to in this material and make your own judgement about what action you may need to take to ensure you have complied with the law. Accordingly, the Victorian WorkCover Authority extends no warranties as to the suitability of the information for your specific circumstances.
(Attachment. Assessing the risk of working with lead in a foundry)
Company name ____________________________________________________
Company address: _________________________________________________
Person/s performing assessment: ____________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Date of assessment: ________________________________________________
Lead process: _____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Form of lead
What is the form of lead used and what is the lead content of the alloy? Refer to MSDS or technical data sheet.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Lead process/task
Melting/casting alloy containing greater than 1% lead at greater than 450°C. YES/NO
Use of power tools for buffing, discing, grinding or cutting of castings containing greater than 1% lead. YES/NO
Possible routes of exposure
Inhalation – inhaling lead fume and/or dust from processes. YES/NO
Ingestion – swallowing lead dust due to poor hygiene or contaminated surfaces. YES/NO
Smoking – contamination of smoking materials due to poor hygiene or carrying smoking materials in the lead process area. YES/NO
Frequency and duration of exposure
1. Melting/casting alloy containing greater than 1% lead at greater than 450°C.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. Use of power tools for buffing, discing, grinding or cutting of castings containing greater than 1% lead.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Blood lead levels
What are the blood lead levels for workers potentially exposed to lead?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Do any approach the action levels (1.45 micromol/L for males or 0.48 micromol/L for females of reproductive capacity)? If so, for whom?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What tasks were each person performing whose blood lead levels approach the action levels?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
State of knowledge
Refer to WorkCover health effects brochure, Lead at Work, and MSDS.
Any information about previous incidents, illnesses or diseases related to lead exposure
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Controls currently in place to minimise/prevent lead exposure
Include details of:
- engineering controls
- personal protective equipment (PPE) used
- containment
- cleaning processes
- eating/drinking/smoking arrangements
- changing/washing facilities
- laundering of protective clothing
- information, instruction and training.
1. Melting/casting alloy containing greater than 1% lead at greater than 450°C.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. Use of power tools for buffing, discing, grinding or cutting of castings containing greater than 1% lead.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
CONCLUSION:
- Controls currently in place are adequate.
- Further controls are required to minimise employee exposure to lead. Develop action plan listing:
- controls
- timeframes for completion, and,
- involvement of employees
NOTE: Employers must adopt measures to eliminate or reduce the risk of exposure to lead. Where elimination is not practicable, the risk must be reduced as far as practicable.
Acts and Regulations
Acts and regulations are available from Information Victoria on 1300 366 356 or order online at www.bookshop.vic.gov.au.
View the legislation at Victorian Law Today at www.legislation.vic.gov.au.
Standards Australia
Copies of standards can be obtained by contacting Standards Australia on 1300 654 646 or by visiting the web site at www.standards.com.au.
