Lead paint in wood - advice needed

[Deleted User]

Hi everyone. We found lead paint in three door frames and architraves which all needed replacing anyway. Some seems to be absorbed into the wood as the bare wood tests positive (someone previously must have sanded it off) some seems to be on a darker red paint colour which there is remnants of on the frame. The architraves on one is particularly bad and chipped and has been since we moved in. Only discovered it was lead or even knew that was a worry recently. 

We have spoken with a builder who can remove them and replace in a couple of weeks as well as repaint the skirtings which are also lead but covered with many layers of paint so just going for another layer on top to seal it in. 

We are very aware sanding and ingesting lead paint is an issue and don’t plan to do this at all. 

However - I am finding several things difficult which are meaning I am struggling to assess risk properly. 

1. Online warns you how dangerous this is. Yet in the UK it’s barely talked about, you won’t find many builders/decorators who seem to really care? Every single one I rang was unbothered in the sense that they didn’t see it as a huge huge issue? 

2. When they remove the old frame and architraves they may need to cut into it to remove - shall I ban them doing this and insist crow bar only?! How much dust is going to be created either way? Online basically tells me to complete a full scale evacuation of my house, plastic everywhere, hepa vacuum etc etc. We have plastic, our vacuum does happen to have a hepa filter and I’ve bought a couple of air purifiers with true hepa filters too to help. But how over the top do I need to be here? They are doorways and our house is quite open, I can’t plastic sheet everything some dust will surely get through? Again online wants the builders to essentially decontaminate everything and as much as I know they will do their best let’s not pretend they are going to be full hazmat suits here. 

3. They plan to remove all the frames etc first - get all the lead stuff out essentially so they can then work knowing it’s gone. Which is fine but I then worry overnight we may have gaping holes where frames were - again is this any risk? Would it be better to remove and replace one at a time?

Any advice is appreciated, we are trying to conceive and so it’s an added pressure as lead exposure and pregnancy is of course higher risk. 

I’m struggling to really know what’s reasonable and how much I am worrying over an invisible/small risk or whether I should be in full scale panic mode right now! 

Thank you! 

FreeBear

Deleted_User said: I’m struggling to really know what’s reasonable and how much I am worrying over an invisible/small risk or whether I should be in full scale panic mode right now!

It is a very low risk, and a limited exposure to a bit of dust is not going to cause you any harm. As long as your contractors clean up after themselves, any trace of lead left behind is going to be insignificant. Plenty of other sources of lead in the environment - If you live in the Matlock area, there is a long history of lead mining, and some of it will get leached in to the local water supply. Elsewhere in the UK, lead has been used for water pipes which can pose a greater risk of exposure.

Sandtree

If you go by whats online then senior politicians are either lizard men in human skin suits or a cabal of satan worshiping pedophiles  or both.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cis79.pdf is the recommendation from the Health and Safety Executive in the UK to builders who will regularly be coming into contact with lead paint.. sawing isnt an issue. Dry sanding is the main risk or using heat guns on high settings.