Sampling Techniques for Rapid Lead Detection on Surfaces

Class description

Sampling Techniques for Rapid Lead Detection on Surfaces

November 13, 2024 10am-12pm Pacific Time. 

This course is being offered in-person and online. 

* This registration page is for in-person participation *

Lead contamination in workplaces and homes poses serious health risks. Traditionally, investigators have relied on wet wipes to collect surface dust samples using NIOSH Method 9105, which are then sent to a laboratory for analysis. While effective, this process is often slow and expensive, with results taking weeks to return. Over the past two decades, a NIOSH-developed and commercial tool has emerged, allowing users to quickly assess the color of the wipes on-site, offering immediate insights before confirming results with a lab. While federal occupational agencies have widely adopted this tool, its use among occupational and public health professionals remains limited. In this workshop, participants will learn about surface sampling while gaining hands-on experience using this rapid, colorimetric kit to detect lead contamination on surfaces. Attendees will receive a comprehensive, user-friendly guide that goes beyond the manufacturer’s instructions, ensuring accurate and efficient testing.

View the Course Flyer

Audience: Industrial hygienists, laboratory personnel, environmental and public health professionals, EHS managers and directors, risk managers, house inspectors and other health and safety professionals. 

Course Objectives:

• Explain the significance of measuring lead on workplace or home surfaces to identify potential sources and prioritize mitigation strategies for reducing and preventing risks to workers and public health.
• Describe the advantages of using colorimetric wipes to detect lead on surfaces using the NIOSH Method 9105.
• List resources and expert guidance for effective surface lead sampling and contamination assessment.

Meet the Instructor:

Diana Ceballos, PhD, MS, CIH

Assistant Professor, UW DEOHS

Dr. Diana Ceballos is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Exposure Equity Laboratory in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (DEOHS) at the University of Washington (UW). With over 15 years of research experience, she specializes in environmental and occupational health and safety, exposure assessment, science translation, and the implementation of community-engaged public health interventions, with a focus on high-risk, understudied worker populations. During her five years as an industrial hygiene investigator with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Health Hazard Evaluation Program, she utilized colorimetric wipes in several workplace investigations to identify lead sources, contamination pathways, and potential take-home lead exposures by workers. Since coming back to academia, she continues to use lead colorimetric wipes in her research.

Materials for the wipe method will be demonstrated by the instructor. Wipe Kits are available at SKC: https://www.skcinc.com/products/full-disclosure-wipe-kit-for-lead-qualitative

* This page is to register for in-person participation *

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