LCS Laboratory offers air sampling kits, laboratory testing, and full technical support for companies and individuals planning to do Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) assessments. In this brief article, we will discuss how to conduct air quality testing for Lead dust at a shooting range.
Unlike any other activity, shooting exposes a person to an extremely high level of chemicals which are emitted at a distance from 20 to 80 cm (1′-3′) from the individual’s breathing zone. The peak concentration of copper, lead, alkaline dust, oxides of carbon, sulfur and nitrogen can be measured in 1000’s mg/m³, and can seriously harm your health. Usually, Lead exposure is the most concerning, due to the fact that Lead has the lowest exposure limit and unlike many other chemicals, may accumulate in your body. OSHA reports and indicate that the level of airborne Lead during shooting practice can greatly exceed all regulatory levels.
Some guidelines on Lead exposure are available below:
- 0.300 mg/m³ – Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL) (Occupational Exposure Limit 2013, Ontario) for not longer than 15 min a day.
- 0.050 mg/m³ – Time-Weighted Average Limit (TWA) (Occupational Exposure Limit 2013, Ontario) for not longer than 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.
- 0.0015 mg/m³ – Environmental Protection Agency (EPA USA) clean air criteria.
If you spend 8 hours a day, 5 days a week in a shooting range, then you cannot be exposed (on average) to more than 0.050 mg/m³ of lead dust. If shooting is your hobby, the industrial standard is not directly applicable. When you receive the results of your lead dust level test, you should compare the findings to the TWA level guideline first. If your result is higher than the TWA guideline, then the concentration of lead is too high and exceeds the industrial limit. This is considered unacceptable, and requires ventilation improvement. If the Lead concentration is below the standard EPA level, this means that the air is clean. Finally, if the test results fall between the EPA and TWA limits, you should treat this as a warning and continue to monitor the air regularly.
LCS Laboratory has all the necessary expertise and equipment to guide you through the sampling process. Before you call us, you need to decide on the number of samples you want to collect. Usually people collect between 3 and 10 samples. Collect a few samples from the line of fire – it will give you information on the levels of lead exposure on the immediate shooting range. Collect samples upwind and downwind to see how far the lead clouds travel. If you have any rooms adjacent to the shooting area, collect samples from there as well, to determine if there any traces of lead dust. Be ready for the sampling process to take between 3 and 6 hours.
When you are ready, call or email us with a proposed sampling date, and the number of samples you are planning to collect. We will send you pre-calibrated portable pumps and easy to use sampling cassettes. You will need to keep record on each sample you collect, including the cassette ID, sample location, pump used with the sample, and duration of sampling. When finished, you need promptly return equipment to our lab for testing.
Cost of the project varies from $200 to $800 and depends on the scope of work.
Please email us to discuss your project or request a quote.
