Answer to Question #14913 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Medical and Dental Equipment and Shielding — Shielding

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

Q

We are repurposing our x-ray room for a patient conference room. Once the x-ray equipment has been professionally removed, do we need to remove the sheets of lead from behind the sheetrock and the ceiling?

A

We have seen other facilities remove x-ray equipment and use the room for other purposes (not x ray) while leaving the lead drywall in place. Although a hazardous material, the lead should not be a problem as long as it remains undisturbed on the back side of the drywall. This could become a concern when someone else removes the drywall sometime in the future (for a future renovation, future owner, etc.), if they are not aware that there is lead backing on the drywall (because of cutting, etc., that may lead to lead particles becoming airborne).

I recommend that you check with local and state authorities to make sure that there are no requirements to remove the lead before you commit to leaving it in place. If you do decide to leave it in place, you may want to consider a plan to make sure that future users are aware that there is lead behind the walls, so that workers who may remove the drywall would know to put protective measures into place prior to removal. At that point you may consider just replacing the drywall now during renovation, just to avoid any future concerns.

Kennith Lovins, CHP
John W. McKinney III, MBA

Answer posted on 11 April 2023. The information posted on this web page is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may affect the applicability of concepts, materials, and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice. To the best of our knowledge, answers are correct at the time they are posted. Be advised that over time, requirements could change, new data could be made available, and Internet links could change, affecting the correctness of the answers. Answers are the professional opinions of the expert responding to each question; they do not necessarily represent the position of the Health Physics Society.