It’s estimated that around 82% of UK homes constructed before 1992 have layers of lead paint. That’s an eye-opening statistic. From the 1930’s to the 1950’s lead paint was abundant in the construction sector. Today, it’s reasonable to assume that some buildings still contain harmful amounts of the toxic substance. This is concerning to public health, especially for children, pregnant women, and frontline workers.
We walk through what the substance is, why it was used, how to identify lead paint in UK buildings, the risks of exposure, what to do if you suspect a building may contain the toxic substance, and much more.
What is lead paint and why was it used?
Lead paint is a type of liquid paint that contains high concentrations of lead pigments, most commonly lead carbonate, also known as “white lead.”
Historically, linseed oil was used as the binder to hold the paint together, while turpentine functioned as a thinner to help the paint stick to surfaces. The ratio of ingredients affects the final finish, making the paint either glossy or matte.
It was used in construction because not only does lead-based paint dry quicker, but it’s also more durable and moisture resistant, keeping that fresh appearance for longer while not corroding.
When was lead paint banned in the UK?
There was no single date when lead paint was banned in the UK. Instead, its use was phased out over several decades. We put together a timeline of the key dates that led to the outright ban of lead paint in the UK.
Before the 20th Century
Lead pigments (especially white lead carbonate) were widely used in UK properties, with the most common being painting woodwork and metals.
1926
The first UK-wide restriction on lead paint usage under the Lead Paint (Restriction Against Poisoning Act) 1926. This act limited white lead paint indoors and was passed to safeguard professional painters. However, in 1926, lead paint was still commonplace in UK homes.
1970s
Growing health concerns led many paint manufacturers to voluntarily stop using lead pigments in household paints in the 1970’s. As a result, most companies stopped including lead in UK homes paints.
1992
The Control of Lead at Work Regulations (later updated in 2002), under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, outlined clear rules for lead paint exposure, including workplace restrictions and prohibiting certain lead compounds for homes.
Today
Lead paint is not legally available to purchase for general residential or DIY use. However, there are tightly regulated exceptions. The substance is still used when restoring or maintaining Grade I or Grade II listed buildings. It’s also common when repainting scheduled monuments or artworks, but only with Historic England’s approval. Lead-containing coatings, such as red lead used in anti-corrosion industrial primers, are available under strict licensing and COSHH controls, but rarely used.
Where is lead paint commonly found in homes?
Lead paint isn’t just found on walls, it can be found in a range of locations across buildings. Understanding what to look for can help you stay safe and shield people from exposure, comply with all requisite legislation and plan safe regulations when disturbing potentially hazardous materials.
Lead in Paint & Coatings
- Woodwork: doors, doorframes, skirting boards, window frames, banisters, and picture rails.
- Metalwork: radiators, metal window frames, and primed and red lead iron gates.
- Exterior trims: fascia’s, soffits, exterior doors, and gutters.
- Walls & ceilings: especially in older kitchens, bathrooms, and pre-1960s nurseries (often under newer layers of paint).
LEAD IN PLUMBING & WATER SYSTEMS
- Lead water pipes: commonly found in properties built before the 1970s (service pipe from street to house, internal supply pipes).
- Lead solder: found on copper pipes in older plumbing.
- Water tanks: found on older cold water storage tanks that may have lead linings.
Lead in Building & Roofing Repairs
- Roof flashings: lead sheets used around chimneys, valleys, and dormer windows.
- Parapet gutter: parapet gutters may be lined with lead paint.
- Bay window roofs: often have lead sheets.
- Lead damp-proof courses: in pre-1970s buildings, thin sheets of lead in brick courses were used to block moisture.
Lead in Other Building Materials
- Glazing: stained or decorative glass windows have lead painting.
- Lead weights: sash windows feature lead weights to counterbalance weights inside the frame.
- Decorative finishes: gilding, certain historic wallpapers feature gilding with printed with lead pigments.
- Historic pipework: church fittings, organ pipes, or industrial machinery in converted buildings often have lead paint.
Signs Your Property Might Contain Lead-Based Paint
If you’re wondering whether your property contains lead-based paint, especially if it was built between 1930 and 1992, here are some common signs to look for. While these visual cues aren’t definitive proof, they are strong indicators that you should seek professional advice, testing, and removal services.
- Alligatoring or crocodile skin texture with a cracked surface forming a scale-like pattern
- Chalky surface easily felt when rubbed, producing a fine dust
- Multiple layers of paint, with older, harder layers underneath newer coats
- Bright, dense colours in older coats, e.g., deep reds, yellows, and whites (often from lead pigments)
Remember these visual cues may suggest the presence of lead paint, but they’re not conclusive. Modern, non-lead-based paint can also crack or chalk. If in doubt, always contact the experts.
THE RISKS OF LEAD EXPOSURE
Being able to answer what does lead paint look like is a question that might not immediately feel like something that’s top of the agenda when it comes to health and safety in the workplace or at home. However, when you learn about the risks of lead exposure, you might just change your priorities.
Brain & Nervous System Damage
Lead is a neurotoxin and therefore very hazardous to health, causing or contributing to a range of problems, including memory loss, mood instabilities, difficulty concentrating, development delays, and reduced IQs in babies and children.
Kidney & Organ Damage
Over time, lead harms the tiny filters in the kidneys (called nephrons), making it harder for them to clean the blood. This can lead to chronic kidney disease, increased blood pressure and, in the worst cases, kidney failure. Moreover, lead exposure is linked to an increased risk of heart disease. It compromises the body’s ability to process toxins and cause fertility issues in men and women.
Pregnancy & Reproductive Risks
Lead can pass through the placenta, which increases the risk of fertility in adults, heightening the chances of miscarriage and harming the foetal development.
Harm to Children’s Growth & Learning
Even low lead exposure can have a detrimental effect on children’s growth, compromising speech, hearing, and general learning abilities, while exaggerating behaviour issues, like hyperactivity and aggression.
Cardiovascular Issues
Long-term lead exposure has been linked to high blood pressure, arterial stiffness which forces the heat to pump harder, heart disease and increased risk of having a stroke.
HOW TO CONFIRM THE PRESENCE OF LEAD PAINT
If you want to confirm the presence of lead paint, you have different options. A quick browse on Amazon or B&Q and you’ll discover a range of DIY lead paint testing kits. How reliable they are, well that’s another question. And when it comes to people’s health, do you really want to leave something to chance?
If you want peace of mind that lead paint isn’t at a dangerously high level, the most reliable method of identifying lead paint is to hire a certified professional like Fibre Safe.
THE DANGERS OF DIY LEAD PAINT KITS
False Negatives: it’s common for DIY kits to produce a high rate of false negatives. This poses the question of if they can detect lead concentrations, even when it’s present.
Colour Change Subjectivity: the nature of the test, i.e., colour change, can be difficult for people to interpret. This can be exacerbated, especially for colour blind people and when there’s a low concentration of lead present.
Surface Testing Only: most DIY kits only test for surface lead paint concentration and are unable to detect lead in deeper layers of paint and other materials. This limits the scope and thoroughness of any test.
Incorrect Usage: correctly using DIY kits asks people to follow specific procedures. Incorret use of the application can lead to inaccurate results, not detecting lead presence.
Lack of Proper Training: even with proper instructions, testing kits may require experience to correctly interpret results, especially when dealing with subtle colour changes.
Not Meeting Regulatory Standards: DIY lead testing kits generally do not meet regulatory requirements for lead paint testing. This means that their performance and reliability should be questioned.
What to do if you suspect lead paint
Below is a step-by-step breakdown of what you need to do if you suspect that your home, commercial or public premises contains lead-based paint.
Step One: Assess the Situation
Before you take any action, it’s important that you assess the situation. This includes understanding the age of the building. If its age is prior to the voluntary withdrawal of lead-based paint in the 1970’s and was built between 1930 and 1955, you may have lead paint. Any peeling, chipping, or flaking paint could also indicate lead-based paint.
Step Two: Test and Remove
If the building is showing signs of lead paint, the next step is to test to confirm its presence and safely remove it. Now, you could buy a DIY lead paint testing kit online. But these can be dangerous because they don’t always detect the substance, leaving you with a false sense of safety. A better solution is to use the services of a reputable lead paint removal company, like Fibre Safe.
However, if you choose to remove the lead paint yourself, be sure to take the appropriate precautions. This includes wearing PPE equipment, sealing off the area and disposing of any debris and paint chips in a sealed plastic bag labelled ‘Lead Contaminated Waste,’ as mentioned previously.
Step Three: Minimise Exposure
To minimise exposure when clearing the area, you need to take appropriate safety measures. This extends beyond wearing PPE equipment, sealing off the area, and disposing of any debris and paint chips in a sealed plastic bag.
Dispose of lead paint chips and debris according to all legal regulations. Thoroughly clean the area with a damp cloth or HEPA vacuum after the work has been completed and cordon off the area until you’re certain the risk has been mitigated.
Step Four: Monitor People’s Health
If you’re concerned about lead exposure, and are suddenly showing symptoms like abdominal pain, vomiting, hearing loss or seizures, consult a doctor. This is especially important if symptoms present themselves in children.
We recommend you do not remove lead-based paint yourself. It’s a specialist procedure that requires fully-trained, experts like Fibre Safe, to complete safe lead paint removal.
How Fibre Safe Can Help
If you’re concerned about lead paint presence in your home or another building you’re responsible for, Fibre Safe’s thorough lead identification and removal services can help.
We have extensive experience identifying and removing asbestos and have similar expertise identifying and removing lead paint in both domestic and commercial buildings.
If you recognise lead paint in any building, or need help identifying and disposing of lead paint, Fibre Safe can help. Call us now on 0800 458 4136 or email us at: sales@fibresafe.com for lead paint identification and removal for both commercial and domestic properties.
