Trigger assessment from context
Health Canada says homes built before 1960 probably contain lead-based paint and some exterior paints used from 1960 to 1990 may also contain lead.
- Age and paint layers
- Peeling or chalking paint
- Windows, doors and friction surfaces
- Dust-generating renovations
- Children, pregnancy or other vulnerabilities
- Pipes, fittings and water stagnation
Confirm with an appropriate method
History guides the investigation, but confirmation may require laboratory analysis or X-ray fluorescence used by a competent person.
- Documented sampling plan
- XRF measurement or sample analysis
- Dust and soil when justified
- Water sample under an applicable protocol
- Explained limitations and uncertainty
Control dust and verify work
Removal is not always the only option. The strategy may combine maintenance, enclosure, replacement and dust-limiting work methods.
- Occupant protection
- Controlled work zone
- Specialized cleaning
- Waste management
- Documented final verification