Hazards of machining lead.

[terry5357]

My company has the opportunity to take on a great deal of work that is made entirely of lead.

I was just talking to the owner about this project and one of his major concerns is the health issue involved. Lead poisioning is a serious deal and I personally have no interest in contracting it. So is anyone has had any dealings with machining lead or is machining lead I would be grateful for any information that could be provided.

You guys have always come through and I hope that it will be the same for this question.

[Colin Gilchrist]

I've made a few parts from lead. Very gummy stuff. The most danger involves handling the lead with bare skin. It shouldn't produce too many vapors, if any, so I wouldn't be too concerned about breathing it. The only worries I would have besides touching it would be contaminating your coolant supply and clean up/disposal of the waste coolant, chips, cutting tools, ect.

 

If I remember right we used HHS cutters and ran them fairly slow. Lead has a tendency to smear and gum up rather than cut. Check out the Machinery's Handbook for more info.

 

HTH,

 

Colin Gilchrist

The Boeing Company

[Bruce Caulley]

You will need filtered air extraction on the machines even if you are using coolant, or alternatively hava all the operators wear decent respirators. The initial oxide layer on the material prior to cutting is the biggest hazzard. Raw material storage and handling should be done in a separate area with staff wearing respirators/masks at all times. Do not use air blowers or brooms to clean the floor in these areas, vacuum only. This sounds like a pain and you could get away without the trouble if only doing work now and then, but if the work is ongoing in good volumes then these precautions would be a good start.

 

Also, ask the material supplier what precautions they take in storage and handling.

 

HTH

 

Bruce

[john316]

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This sounds like a pain and you could get away without the trouble if only doing work now and then, but if the work is ongoing in good volumes then these precautions would be a good start.

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Unless of course you want your kids to be born with three legs.

 

I think Hazmat has info sheets on their website you can use for contamination precautions.

 

.

[edmBosto]

Or born with 4 legs.

 

Actually check out this site for MSDS sheets.

I take it you have heard of them.

[edmBosto]

http://www.ilpi.com/msds/index.html#What

 

here is the late link

[Jack Neelands™]

+100000 Bruce

He nailed it im sorry to say ...there are alot of precautions you must take with machining and handling of this material

If you can rig up and bear the cost of it then yes ...but treat it like it was radioactive material cause you will need suits as well

you cant have ppl bringing this stuff home on their clothes to their families not to mention yourself

[MLS]

I worked in a shop that ran some lead. For some reason I was thinking OSHA regulations required that the persons involved in machining it could only be designated to that job a certain number of days out of the year.

 

My brother cut quite a bit...he now looks like a Wookie. It's possible it is more related to lack of use of scissors and a razor, but sometimes I wonder.

[Kannon]

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My brother cut quite a bit...he now looks like a Wookie.

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ROFLMAO

thanks for the coffee fountain out the nose!

[Gramby]

On going contact will also require monthly blood tests.

[terry5357]

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On going contact will also require monthly blood tests.

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Geez.....I'm already diabetic and REALLY tired of needles.............does the fun never end