Health and Safety Whilst Leading Stained Glass

How to Handle Lead Safely Whilst Tinting Leaded Windows

Jul 16, 2009

Stained Leaded Glass Window, Barbour, Wikimedia Commons

Producing leaded windows can be done safely if lead is handled with care and with minimal contact to the skin and clothing. The following advice shows how.

Tinted leaded windows are an attractive feature for conservatories, doors, churches and other public places, but handling lead whilst staining the glass requires the utmost care.

Leaded Strips for Stained Glass

Self-adhesive leaded strips can be found in craft shops, which stick easily onto glass and provide a raised contour to form an effective damn for the glass paint. However, lead is a heavy metal that causes anaemia if it finds its way into the blood stream. The body has a tendency to store it in the bones as though it were calcium and therefore lead is not easily rid of from the system and can accumulate quite easily. In the long term, it can cause interruptions to nerve impulses, affecting thought processes, muscle reactions and the senses. It is therefore imperative that lead is handled with extra care and contact to the skin is kept to an absolute minimum.

The following common sense measures for extra safety are advisable.

Keeping Contact with Lead to a Minimum

Wear protective gloves when handling lead. Good quality marigolds will provide a seal against exposure to skin.
Long hair is best tied back or bundled in a hairnet.
Try to avoid the lead coming into contact with clothing. An old apron or to tie a plastic sheet around the middle will assure minimal contact. It is advisable to dispose of the apron when finished.
Employ a quiet corner out of the way when using the lead and place an old sheet over the area. Dispose of the sheet when the project has been completed.
Always wash hands thoroughly after handling lead. It doesn’t hurt to do so even after wearing gloves.
Use an old bucket full of warm soapy water rather than wash the hands over the sink, and pour the used water down an outside drain. Dry hands on paper towels rather than reuse one. Pour fresh water over a bucket if lots of hands are to be washed.
Always wash hands thoroughly before handling food.
Nail scissors or other utensils will often be used for manipulating lead. Keep the utensils exclusively for the use of lead. Dispose of them when the project has been completed.
Dispose of any leftover lead, utensils, used gloves apron and sheet carefully. It is a good idea to wrap everything in a double layer of plastic bag before disposing of it.
To be extra safe, give the area a clean with warm soapy water when the project has been completed.
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, it might be wise to postpone the project until a later date.

Handling Lead Safely

Extra care is important whilst handling lead during the completion of a project such as leading glass. Following health and safety precautions will ensure that the assignment will be completed without impact to safety or health.

The copyright of the article Health and Safety Whilst Leading Stained Glass in Stained Glass & Tile Crafts is owned by Rachel Wills. Permission to republish Health and Safety Whilst Leading Stained Glass in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.