Stay Safe with Lead

Our Stay Safe with Lead campaign aims to encourage users of Lead Sheet to take the right precautions to protect themselves and others when working with Lead.

As a responsible Lead manufacturer, we want to ensure end users are fully aware of our recommended safety, storage and handling tips to assist in minimising any potential H&S risks.

Safety Tips:

Lead in its metallic state does not present a health risk provided that a few simple precautions are followed:

Apply a hand barrier cream where possible
Wear appropriate personal protection equipment, such as safety gloves and boots
Always wash your hands and forearms as soon as you finish handling Lead and before you do anything else. This applies even when wearing gloves
Always use BLM Site Wipes when no access to soap and water is available
Do not eat, drink or smoke after handling Lead until you have washed your hands
When sweeping a Lead storage area, wear a protective dust mask and damp down any dust before you sweep

Health & Safety Data Sheets are available for specific BLM’s products. These can provide you with full product safety information and can be accessed from our Download section.

If you need further information on how to work safely with Rolled Lead Sheet in construction, ELSIA (European Lead Sheet Industry Association) provide simple and very useful steps on How to Work Safely with Lead Sheet.

If you would like further advice on working with Lead in construction please contact our technical office at technical@britishlead.co.uk

Storage Tips

Lead is a dense, but soft metal. It can be easily damaged when stored incorrectly. The following storage tips can help prevent damage to Lead Sheet:

All rolls of Lead should be stored in a clean dry area on a sealed concrete floor or raised off the floor on a strong timber base
Contact with moisture in roll format can result in the formation of red oxide staining, similar to rust, in the roll layers in a matter of hours. This may be cleaned, prior to fitting, with vinegar and nylon scourer and 5% nitric acid solution, but best avoided in a first instance
Where possible, smaller flashing rolls with a width of 450mm or less should be stood on their roll ends and wider rolls should be laid down on pallets to minimise the risk of accidents or damage
Always remember that the Lead surface could be scored or damaged if it comes into contact with rough surfaces and sharp objects, creating thin/weak spots in the sheet