Key Points

Fire

• Reacts with hot concentrated acids
• May cause explosions on contact with hydrogen peroxide or sodium, potassium or magnesium and their salts
• In the event of a fire involving lead, use fine water spray and normal fire kit with breathing apparatus

Health

• Toxicity most frequently results from ingestion or inhalation and rarely from dermal or ocular exposure
• Harmful
• Short-term exposure causes metallic taste, abdominal pain, sickness, loss of appetite, low blood pressure, kidney and liver damage
• Long-term exposure causes anaemia, headaches, irritability, tiredness, muscle weakness, paralysis, kidney and liver damage and stomach upsets
• In children, chronic exposure may lead to cognitive deficit, such as a decrease in IQ. Such effects do not exhibit a threshold
• Lead exposure may cause miscarriages or still births or fertility problems in males
• Lead compounds are probably carcinogenic to humans

Environment

• Dangerous for the environment
• Inform Environment Agency of substantial release incidents

 

All sections are available to download in PDF format.

 

• Lead - Full Document (PDF, 225 KB)
  HPA Compendium of Chemical Hazards Lead, version 3, 2011. This document will be reviewed not later than 3 years or sooner if substantive evidence becomes available.
  Added/updated: 13 January 2012
  
• General Information - Lead (PDF, 46 KB)
  Lead General information
  Added/updated: 24 March 2011
  
• Incident Management - Lead (PDF, 152 KB)
  Lead Incident management, version 3, 2011. This document will be reviewed not later than 3 years or sooner if substantive evidence becomes available.
  Added/updated: 13 January 2012
  
• Toxicological Overview - Lead (PDF, 89 KB)
  Lead Toxicological overview
  Added/updated: 24 March 2011