By Leigh Jones
The Daily News
Published January 9, 2009
Todd Decker didn’t think anything of scraping paint off a
100-year-old house without a mask covering his nose and mouth.
In Galveston’s sweltering summer heat, masks and long-sleeve shirts
are uncomfortable, Decker said.
He didn’t know the paint dust and scrapings that covered his arms
and fell into his face were filled with lead, an environmental toxin
that causes neurological damage and, in severe cases, death.
A month later, after a doctor recommended a lead test, Decker was
checking into a hospital with a blood lead level of 122, three times
the amount considered dangerous in adults.
As hundreds of contractors and homeowners start working to repair
houses damaged by Hurricane Ike, officials with the Galveston County
Health District warn doctors are likely to start seeing more cases
of lead poisoning if people don’t protect themselves.
Contractors Vulnerable
Lead poisoning is most common in children. Even small amounts of the
toxin can cause irreversible brain damage, although its victims show
almost no symptoms.
Children can come into contact with lead in toys, cheap pottery and
traditional health treatments from Mexico and South America, but the
most common source is lead-based paint, which was not banned in the
United States until the 1970s.Two-thirds of Galveston houses were
built before then. Even houses that had been remodeled before Ike
might still have traces of the toxic paint hidden in areas that
won’t be uncovered until remediation and rebuilding begins.While
children are still the most vulnerable to lead poisoning,
contractors or homeowners doing the work themselves could now be
more likely to come into contact with the toxin.
When working on flood-damaged houses, no one should use a belt
sander, propane torch, high temperature heat gun, dry scraper or dry
sandpaper to remove lead-based paint, according to a statement
released by the health district. Workers who don’t know whether they
might come into contact with the toxic paint should wear a mask and
clothing that covers their arms and legs at all times.
‘Amazed I Was Alive’
Decker, 41, who still works as a contractor and handyman six months
after his bout with lead, now tells everyone he knows to take the
threat seriously.
He survived without any ill effects, but others might not be so
lucky, he said.
The doctors and nurses who treated Decker at three different
hospitals, including the University of Texas Medical Branch, told
him they had never seen lead levels as high as his, he said.
“They told me they were amazed I was alive, let alone walking
around,” he said.
Like many children who get lead poisoning, Decker showed almost no
symptoms. He went to the doctor for a regular checkup and because he
was having minor chest pains, his doctor asked him what he had been
doing lately. When the doctor heard about the remodeling work, he
recommended a lead test.
Island contamination
Because of its high concentration of older homes, Galveston has one
of the highest rates in the country of lead poisoning in children.
A Baylor College of Medicine report released in 2007 revealed about
20 percent of Galveston children tested for lead had elevated levels
of the environmental toxin in their blood.
In 2008, 17 of the county’s 24 lead poisoning cases were reported in
Galveston.
The best way to prevent lead poisoning is to have a house tested by
a certified lead inspector or risk assessor before starting to make
repairs.
Taking Precautions
Families, especially those with small children or pregnant women,
should not live in a house while it is being repaired
After the work is done, children can still be poisoned by paint dust
left in a house, health district officials say. All floors, windows,
window sills and other flat surfaces should be mopped or wiped down
with a wet cloth weekly to reduce the risk of children coming into
contact with any lead-laced dust. People working on a house that
might have lead-based paint should shower and change their work
clothes before coming home or wear protective clothing that can be
thrown away at the end of the day. Anyone who is worried about
poisoning should request a lead test, just in case, said Mark
Guidry, head of the health district.
Thankful
Although lead poisoning is irreversible, doctors can lower blood
lead levels to prevent continued exposure. Decker took chelation
therapy for a month after his diagnosis. He was uninsured, but
Ovation Pharmaceuticals provided the treatment free. Six months
later, he has a blood lead level of 33 and a much healthier respect
for the dangers of scraping paint. “I’m just very thankful,” he
said.
+++
Did you know? Galveston regulations require people removing exterior
paint to get a permit from the city’s planning department. Workers
must use drop cloths and cannot do any scraping or sanding in the
rain or when wind speeds exceed 15 miles per hour.
For more information, call the city’s planning department at
409-797-3660
Printer friendly