title: Results of an intervention to improve lead safety among painting contractors and their employees.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Residential and commercial painters disturb lead paint on older buildings, exposing workers and potentially building occupants. An intervention strategy was evaluated for improving lead safety in these small businesses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one painting contractors received 32 hr of training, technical assistance, and a safety manual; their employees attended an 8-hr training session. Impact evaluation involved interviewing participants at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 1 year later, and conducting contractor focus groups post-intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Employers met 15 of 27 target objectives and workers met 3 of 12; however, even in areas where objectives were not met, both groups made improvements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Motivated contractors and their employees can make moderate improvements in lead-safe practices if provided with extensive training and technical assistance. Changes that are costly, unfamiliar, or perceived as a threat to work quality are more difficult to implement.
authors.affiliation: Occupational Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (OLPPP), Occupational Health Branch, California Department of Health Services, Oakland, CA 94612, USA. bmaterna@dhs.ca.gov
authors.forename: Barbara L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Materna
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harrington
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scholz
authors.forename: Susan F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Harrison A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Stubbs
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hipkins
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Merideth
authors.forename: Luz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kirsch
authors.forename: Geoffrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lomax
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coyle
authors.forename: Connie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uratsu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003284:Contract Services; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000592:standards*; D016272:Occupational Health; D010150:Paint / Q000009:adverse effects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012495:San Francisco; D017132:Workplace / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D007854:Lead