The Repair of Wrought and Cast Iron Work - Dublin City Council

IRON THE REPAIR OF WROUGHT AND CAST IRONWORK
Some safety issues
GETTING READY
Wear the right clothes when carrying out maintenance or repair works. Wear shoes, or boots, with a good
grip. Don’t wear clothes with trailing pieces or cords as these may catch and cause you to fall.
WORKING AT A HEIGHT
Carrying out repair works or maintenance inspections at a height is hazardous. If you feel don’t feel safe, or
are nervous working at a height, then get professional help with the work.
Using ladders is a major safety issue. Avoid working on ladders in poor weather conditions such as windy,
wet, or icy conditions. It is always safest not to work alone. You should have someone competent with you to
hold the ladder. Take care of people below when working at a height to avoid injuries caused by falling or
thrown objects. Always use a ladder that is in good condition and of the correct height. Make sure it is
secure, angled correctly with the top resting against a solid surface, not a gutter or a fascia. When climbing
ladders make sure you have both hands free. Always work so you can have one hand on the ladder at all
times, have a good handhold, and don’t overreach.
With many buildings that are larger or higher than an average dwelling, it may not be safe for an untrained
person to carry out even the simplest maintenance or repair tasks. In fact, it is not advisable for any untrained
person to work from ladders above one-storey high. You could consider hiring, or investing in, a properlydesigned
mobile scaffold tower or a mobile elevated working platform.
For further information on the safety issues of working at a height, see the Health & Safety Authority’s
publication: Code of Practice for Safety in Roofwork.
WORKING WITH LEAD PAINT
Lead paint was the traditional high-quality finish for metalwork and is extremely long-lasting. Its use
continued until the 1960s. These paints used linseed oil as the binder and white lead as the pigment. The
appearance of the painted finish ages in a characteristic way which cannot be replicated by modern paints.
There are serious health risks associated with lead paints where a painted surface is unsound or is disturbed.
Test kits can be used which give an indication of the presence of lead paint. For absolute certainty as to the
presence of lead paint, specialist laboratory testing should be carried out. The fumes created when applying
lead paint or burning it off and the dust resulting from sanding it down are particularly hazardous. Sound
lead paint should be left in place and, if necessary, can be sealed by over-painting with a modern paint. If the
need arises, it should only be removed and/or reapplied in compliance with all relevant safety standards.
Lead paints containing white lead are no longer readily available to buy in this country. Their importation can
be licensed on application to the Health & Safety Authority for use in certain historic buildings including
protected structures and recorded monuments. There are no restrictions on the use of red lead paint, the
traditional primer used on ironwork, which is still widely available.
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