Lead Management
Douglas County School District has two separate lead management programs. The first manages leaded building materials such as lead paint. This program is called the Lead Management Program and can be found below. The second refers to our potential lead in water. This one is called our Lead In Water (LIW) sampling Project. This program can be found here.
Lead Management Program
Why Do You Need to Be Concerned About Lead?
Lead (Pb) is a metal found naturally in the environment. Lead was used for many years in products found in and around our homes. Lead also can be emitted into the air from motor vehicles and industrial sources, and lead can enter drinking water from old plumbing materials. Lead poisoning may cause a range of health effects, from behavioral problems and learning disabilities, to seizures and death. Children six years old and under are most at risk. The primary source of Lead Containing Materials (LCM) is lead based paint. Lead containing paints were banned starting January 1st, 1978 for use on residential, schools, and child care facilities.
What we are doing to protect our students and staff?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a rule requiring the use of lead-safe practices and other actions aimed at preventing lead poisoning. Under the rule, beginning April 22, 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. EPA requires that firms performing renovation, repair, and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in pre-1978 homes, child care facilities and schools be certified by EPA and that they use certified renovators who are trained by EPA-approved training providers to follow lead-safe work practices. Individuals can become certified renovators by taking an eight-hour training course from an EPA-approved training provider. Douglas County has been trained and certified as a Lead Certified Renovation Firm to accomplish lead renovation and repair on District facilities. For information pertaining to or to view Douglas County School Districts Lead Renovation Firm Certification, Please Contact the Environmental Health Manager @ 303-387-0467.
DCSD Lead Management Program
Sites
Douglas County School District has identified and surveyed all sites within the district that are subject to these two rules:
1. All sites built prior to January 1st, 1978
2. Sites housing children under the age of 6
Eight sites have been identified has having some form of LCM on site. These sites are as follows:
South Street Elementary
Cantril Pre-School
Cherry Valley Elementary
Larkspur Elementary
Sedalia Elementary
Acres Green Elementary
Pine Lane Intermediate
Pine Lane Primary - Mobile #4
Hilltop School House
A Lead Management Program has been instituted for each of these Eight sites to evaluate, repair, maintain and renovate all LCM identified within the site. All hazardous, accessible LCM has been renovated or encapsulated until such time as removal can be accomplished.
The majority of LCMs in DCSD are not lead containing paints, rather materials or products that are embedded with lead. This drastically reduces the lead hazard since the lead is part of the material rather then painted on top. Examples of these LCMs throughout the district include ceramic tiles, chalk boards, and lead sinks.
To review the LCMs at one of the sites above please contact the Environmental Health Manager at 303-387-0467.
Lead Renovation Projects
Currently, there are not any lead renovations planned in DCSD.