654 Lead Safety in General Industry

Protective Clothing and Equipment

Employers must provide workers who are exposed to lead above the PEL or for whom the possibility of skin or eye irritation exists with clean, dry protective work clothing and equipment that are appropriate for the hazard.

Employers must provide these items at no cost to employees. Appropriate protective work clothing and equipment used on construction sites includes:

• Coveralls or other full-body work clothing;
• Gloves, hats, and shoes or disposable shoe coverlets;
• Vented goggles or face shields with protective spectacles or goggles;
• Welding or abrasive blasting helmets; and
• Respirators.

Clean work clothing must be issued daily for employees whose exposure levels to lead are above 200 µg/m3, weekly if exposures are above the PEL but at or below 200 µg/m3 or where the possibility of skin or eye irritation exists.

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