There was a time when the world was far less aware of the dangers of lead paint and that has meant that you will often find a maritime accident attorney who is asked to handle a compensation case for someone who has been exposed to this dangerous substance at some point in their working life.
Here is a look at why regular exposure to lead is such a potential harm to human health and some examples of ways that a shipyard worker could be exposed to it in such a way to raise the specter of serious health issues at some point.
What you should know about lead
Lead has been widely used in the construction and maintenance of ships and despite the fact that it has been a popular material due to the fact that this naturally occurring metal is easy to work with and inexpensive it is also a highly toxic metal.
It is a material that has been used for centuries and lead content can often be found in paints, ceramics, pipes, and batteries, for example.
You will often find that lead has been used to hold together the metal plates that are welded together to form the iron hulls of the ship.
It is also important to understand that as well as being a useful material to work within the shipbuilding and other industries it is a highly potent neurotoxin that has the capacity to gather in soft tissue and bone in your body. This can have a hugely adverse impact on your nervous system over time.
Having established how dangerous it can be to suffer exposure to high levels of lead let’s look at some of the ways that someone like a shipyard worker could be exposed.
Dangers of the welding process
Ships have tended to consistently use lead-based paint on the metal plates that hold the hull together and when that paint is either welded, cut or scraped, releasing lead dust into the air.
This lead can then enter the body in any number of ways such as through your mouth or nose, and even invading any breaks in your skin.
Lack of PPE
In light of such heightened awareness of the dangers of lead poisoning for shipyard workers, it is essential that the correct protective equipment is provided.
If inadequate PPE protection is provided this can create an unacceptable level of exposure to lead.
Shot blasting dangers
As already outlined, lead exposure is a clear and present danger despite the fact that it has been banned by the US government since as far back as 1978.
Many ships still contain lead paint and that means that considerable care has to be taken to avoid exposure to this toxic substance. Another way that a worker could be exposed to dangerous levels of lead is when they are tasked with blasting or sanding away a layer of lead paint.
There are numerous symptoms that may well indicate prolonged lead exposure and it is essential that anyone who has health problems or worked in an environment that exposed them to lead, seeks medical and legal guidance to discuss the prognosis and options for compensation.