Synopsis of Yiddish
article in Der Yid’s April 19, 2019 edition
Brooklyn, NY – On the
seventh day of Passover, in the Song of the Sea, we read how the Mitzrayim were
drowned like lead –as in they sunk like the heavy metal. In the last few years,
lead continues to hold a prominent place in news headlines especially in the Williamsburg
and Boro Park neighborhoods which have the highest rates of children with high
lead levels in their blood.
This troubling statistic led to the collaboration between the UJO
and the NYC Health Department. Together, the two organization are working to
raise awareness among residents regarding the harm of lead paint found in old
houses. Awareness has been created through a variety of venues including campaign with ads placed on bus shelters, in the
newspaper, near Chol Hamoed events, school gatherings, and more.
In NYC the most
common reason for lead in children is that they live in old houses where lead
paint had been used. When paint peels or cracks, crumbs of it fall to the floor
and onto toys and are ingested by the children.
In an attempt
to fight lead poisoning, New York City established Local Law 1 in 2004. The law
requires that landlords must inspect the apartments every year for peeling
paint. If peeling paint is found, it must be fixed. For any work that is
undertaken in places with lead, special measures must be taken to prevent the
spreading of lead dust. Since this law
went into effect, the rates of children in NYC who suffer lead poisoning
sharply declined. Still, ninety percent of the children in Williamsburg with a high
lead number were concentrated in the zip code of Hasidic Williamsburg: 11211,
and in a very small neighborhood. The second highest rate of lead poisoning was
Boro Park, at 5.1 children per 1,000. By
2014, Williamsburg saw improvement, but the rate was still too high.
To combat the ill-effects of lead poisoning, landlords are required by law to take special measures to protect tenants. This includes checking the apartments every year to see if paint is peeling. If an apartment has peeling paint, it must be fixed. For any work that
is undertaken in places with lead, special measures must be taken to prevent the lead dust from spreading.
When renovations are undertaken in such houses, specially
certified workers need to be hired, and special cleaning methods must be used. Tenants
and occupants must keep an eye on paint to check whether it’s peeling,
especially on windowsills. Residents must wash floors
often as well as windowsills, hands, toys, and pacifiers. Parents must also make sure
that their children are tested for lead at the age of one or two as required
by law.
Residents who want to hear more about lead safety measures can call
the UJO Lead Division at 718-643-9700, ext. 241, or write to leadsafety@unitedjewish.org with
questions or to schedule a consultation.
Free training for construction workers, superintendents, building
owners or property managers, etc. to become certified to work on buildings with lead
paint is available. Landlords and institutions must use certified workers when
performing renovations on buildings. Workers who take the one-day training receive a
certificate that they have undergone the “renovate, fix, and paint” course and are then certified for safe lead- paint practices.
To register a spot for you or your workers at one of the training sessions,
please call the UJO Lead Safety division at 718-643-9700, ext. 241, or send an
email to leadsafety@unitedjewish.org.
