Lead is a material that has unique properties. It is also a material that has been used for a long time. It is important to bear in mind that lead is a hazardous material to ingest. If you follow the instructions when handling lead, it is not dangerous to work with.

All the lead that we use in our products is 100% recycled. Lead can be reused an unlimited number of times and does not lose its physical properties even if it is recycled several times.

When our products are installed, you will not come into contact with the lead so there is no danger to your health. When old products are disposed of, it is easy to remove the lead and recycle the lead properly.

Employers who have personnel that work with lead must comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act. If personnel work with lead more than on a few occasions, health check-ups must be carried out. Read more about this in the law below.

To work with lead correctly, certian simple hygiene rules should be observed:

• The use of gloves when working with lead ensures a firm grip as well as protection against injury or contamination.
• Swallowing lead particles, compounds or solutions must be avoided.
• It is important to always wash your hands thoroughly before meals and before smoking or using moist snuff.
• Inhalation of lead dust and vapor must be avoided.
• Welding or soldering should therefore only be carried out outdoors or in well-ventilated rooms.
• A mask must be worn in areas where dust and smoke are produced. Contaminated work clothes should be stored and washed separately from other textiles.
• Surface-treated lead products are not only available in a large number of finishes and colors, but also provide additional safety during work thanks to their hygienic seal.
• Lead is a compact, heavy material. Rolls weighing in excess of 25 kg should never be moved by just one person.

Please print out our ready reckoner which tells you how lead should be handled. Print a copy out for your workplace.

VISITEK only uses lead from suppliers that go beyond the statutory provisions. As a member of the European Lead Sheet Industry Association (ELSIA), our supplier meets the strict requirements of its Code of Practice for Product Stewardship. You can read more about the certification below.

Rolled lead products for the construction industry consist of 100% recycled lead, which allows them to use the coveted environmental product declaration from the Institute Construction and Environment e.V. (IBU). A VISITEK supplier acts in accordance with applicable laws and in an environmentally responsible manner and adopts an ethical work policy. The lead used comes exclusively from producers employing the latest melting and filter techniques. For coating applications, VISITEK uses materials that ensure full recovery of the metal. Recycling is of major importance for the environment: The damage caused by mining is avoided, as can long transports. Harmful waste materials are eliminated. VISITEK attaches great importance to production processes that are environmentally and climate friendly. The entire process chain at our supplier is certified in accordance with environmental standard DIN EN ISO 14001. Because of lead’s melting point which is 327 degrees Celsius, the energy required to process it is lower than for many other building metals. An energy data management system (EDMS) that complies with DIN EN ISO 50001 provides optimal energy consumption. Lead waste that occurs during the production process at our supplier is returned to the material cycle in the company’s own recycling plant.