Lead-Based Paint At Spanish Fort School

By Diana Lucio Reporter

Crews work around the clock to clean up areas of the campus where officials say lead-based paint was discovered last week. Lead-Based Paint At Spanish Fort School

Published: Sun, January 06, 2008 - 10:07 pm Last Updated: Sun, January 06, 2008 - 10:35 pm

Diana Lucio

Baldwin County Public School Officials say safety is a concern as crews work to clean up areas of Spanish Fort Elementary that contained lead-based paint.
Terry Wilhite a spokesman for Baldwin County Public School's says the discovery was made by painters who were sand blasting awnings last Friday during the school's Christmas Break.
Wilhite says school officials called on US, Incorporated, a Mobile based Environmental Group and the Alabama Health Department to begin clean up efforts.
"The paint that was discovered to be lead based was the original coat that was put on in 1965. It was covered many many times since those 42 years have passed, but it was disturbed during the sand blasting effort that's what we've take care of with these environmentally sanctioned cleaners, "Said Wilhite.
Crews have been working since Saturday vacuuming all surfaces and visible debris. While school officials hope to resume classes Tuesday, Bill Baltz with US, Incorporated estimates the clean up could take up to 10 days. But Baltz says it also depends on test results. "We'll come back through do soil sample, course samples of the soil after we've cleaned up all the visible debris, to see if anything has leaked down into the soil," Said Baltz. He says no stone will go unturned in the cleanup effort. One that involves cleaning parking lots, corridors, awnings and 18 classrooms that were affected.
According to the Alabama Health Department lead-based paint is not usually harmful unless it's disturbed and ingested in large quantities.
That's why Wilhite says the focus is on a thorough cleanup. "You know when you see people in space suits show up at your school it is a scary sight. But the message is that these people here are government regulated employees who know what to do, they know how to do and will do," Said Wilhite.
Wilhite says about a dozen employees may have been exposed to the lead while on campus last week. He says that's why the school board is offering to pay for voluntary blood tests. In the meantime, school officials have scheduled a faculty meeting at 8 tomorrow morning (Monday) at the gathering place in the Spanish Fort Rite Aid Shopping Center to answer any questions teachers and staff may have.