Lead Safety Awareness
Angie's List
Campaign for Lead
Safety Awareness
Angie's List Investigation
The Angie's List magazine cover story for October 2007 focused on lead poisoning. As part of our reporting, we contacted nearly 200 painters, remodelers and home improvement stores to find out if they offer proper advice and/or follow lead-safe work practices in homes where they're working. Roughly one third gave information that could be harmful to children. Click here to learn more about lead safety and the results of our investigation.
Background about the Angie's List Lead Safety Tour
Federal housing officials estimate that 24 million American homes contain dangerous levels of lead-based paint, which was commonly used prior to 1978 when it was banned from use. When working on homes built before 1978, contractors are required by federal law to notify owners and tenants that they may be disturbing lead-based paint. The law also requires them to provide homeowners with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's pamphlet, "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home."
Angie's List staffers contacted nearly 200 companies across the country whose employees regularly disturb lead paint during the course of their work to ask about the dangers of lead-based paint. Responders from one-third of the companies, even when prompted with specific questions about lead-based paint, gave advice that could put people, especially young children, in danger. Lead poisoning can cause irreversible brain damage to young children.
An Angie's List member survey, conducted in conjunction with the investigation, found that 51 percent of poll respondents live in a home built prior to 1978. Of those members, 75 percent said their contractor failed to warn them about the possible dangers of lead-based paint, and 85 percent never received the pamphlet.
