Are you planning to renovate an older property? You may need to manage the risk of lead exposure. If you inhale or ingest lead then there is a potential for lead poisoning. Survey and test to assess your risks.

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Introduction

The health and safety executive’s control of lead at work, places a legal duty on employers to prevent or adequately control employee’s exposure to lead. The aim of the legislation is protection and to avoid inhalation, ingestion or absorption of lead from dust or fumes. As an employer, you have a legal duty to protect your employees. You need a lead survey for all commercial projects.

As a homeowner, you may have concerns over the presence of lead at your own property. You want to protect yourself, your family and tradespeople.

Whatever your situation, our lead surveys and testing services can help. We will identify the presence of lead and assess its risk.

Our team of experienced BOHS qualified surveyors will:

  • Attend site and locate any materials that might contain lead.
  • Sample any materials that may contain lead.
  • Arrange for a UKAS accredited laboratory to test the samples collected.
  • Provide you with an understandable test report.
  • Discuss your results and provide advice about next steps.

“I quality check every lead survey completed by our surveying team. We ensure that nothing gets missed at your site.” Dr Tim Hamilton, MD of Scientific Services.

We deliver a nationwide surveying and lead testing service.

About your lead testing

Comprehensive surveys - Accurate test results - Fast turnarounds - Ongoing advice

Our lead surveys are ISO: 9001 accredited. Our testing activities are completed by a UKAS accredited laboratory. We provide you with confidence in your results. Informing your projects and promoting the safety of your stakeholders.

Sampling surveys

White lead was added to paint until the 1960’s. It provided the white pigment in primers and white top coat paints. Red lead was also used to paint metalwork. It wasn’t until 1992 that ‘The Controls of Injurious Substances Regulations’ prevented white lead being added to the majority of paint. 

A BOHS qualified surveyor will attend site to inspect your property. They will make a thorough assessment and ensure all suspect materials are sampled. They will follow regulatory guidelines and will collect samples from a predefined, agreed area. The survey area will be subject to the scope of works planned at your site.

Our surveyors are:

  • BOHS qualified.
  • Equipped with all necessary personal,  protective equipment and specialist equipment.
  • Experienced - we will ensure that our sampling procedure obtains representative samples. Over the years layers of paint can build up and our experience ensures we don’t miss anything.
  • Knowledgeable - we will adopt best practice techniques. We will encapsulate any sampling points and ensure that dust isn’t released on survey completion.

You may have a specific section of paintwork that gives you cause for concern. You may want to confirm whether it contains lead before you embark on your project. In which case, you might not need a full survey. If this describes your situation, we can attend site and complete a sampling survey. During this survey we only collect samples as directed by you. If you wish, you can collect the sample yourself and submit it for analysis.

Surveyor in PPE, with tablet entering lead testing results

Lead testing

Our appointed, UKAS accredited laboratory will analyse your samples. They use inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). This process identifies lead and a range of other heavy metals at low concentrations. Their accreditation evidences their suitability for completing the testing.

We have a strong working relationship with the testing laboratory and service level agreements. This enables us to deliver your results within agreed time frames.

Reports

We will produce a comprehensive survey report that will contain:

  • A lead paint register.
  • Floor plans with clearly defined sampling points.
  • Photographs of sampling points.
  • Test reports with clear results in mk/kg and percentages.

Before releasing your report our senior management team will check it for accuracy.

Advice

Our team of consultants are on hand to discuss your results. We can also provide advice regarding your legal responsibilities if needed. 

How long does lead testing take?

Short lead times, results within agreed deadlines

Our BOHS qualified surveyors work at sites throughout the South West. They can often reach sites the day following your request. This is subject to our availability and the location of your site. Please get in touch to arrange a convenient time for your survey.

We allow 15 working days for the testing process. Results are always delivered within this time frame. We ensure that you can plan your project effectively.

How much does lead testing cost?

Unique buildings - Individual requirements - Bespoke quotations

The cost of a survey can vary considerably, subject to a number of factors including:

  • Your site’s location.
  • The size of the area to be surveyed.
  • Whether the survey can be completed within normal working hours.

The price per test is subject to the required turnaround on results and anticipated sample volumes. 

Any questions?

We hope that this page will help you to understand your duties surrounding lead and assist in informing your next steps. You may still have unanswered questions. If you do, please get in touch. Our team are ready to help.

How to get your samples tested…

Please contact us to book your survey or arrange to submit your samples.

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