In Harm’s Way – Protecting Our Law Enforcement Officers on the Firing Range

Law Enforcement Officers are conscious of threats both on duty and off; they protect those they serve as well as those at home.

Officers work hard to ensure that their family are protected from the nasty things that they were often exposed to such as blood, saliva, urine, chemical agents, elements from the dangerous calls they often responded to.

But, many times they overlook a common yet very hazardous material called LEAD!

They go to the range to qualify and train, load rounds from buckets, get on hands and knees to pick up that brass. Then they go and eat, respond to calls, and in the process, expose themselves to various levels of lead and other potentially harmful materials. But then they go home and hug their spouse and kids and walk around their home….and in the process of walking, the potentially harmful contaminates that they walked through on the range may make their way off their shoes and onto the flooring. This may be a factor in exposing their home and family to potential lead contamination. For this reason, it is vital to make sure that gun range cleaning is being done consistently.

Agencies that use Indoor Ranges are especially susceptible to lead exposure due to the enclosed spaces, some due to lack of proper ventilation, and the possible lack of proper lead containment. Outdoor ranges usually lack proper decontamination areas and even running water to wash up. And we are often on our hands and knees picking up material or in a shooting position on the ground.

The good news is that over the years, Range Officers and Departments are doing a better job of making us aware of the dangers of lead and providing safety protocols to protect us.

Here are the top four things to never do at a shooting range.

1) Never Sweep or Dry Mop

Sweeping up projectiles from the bullet trap of off the ground sounds like a fast way to clean, but the broom stirs up lead dust and can make the air dangerous. The Navy Environmental Health Center  says, “Dry sweeping or the use of compressed air to ‘blow down’ the range should be prohibited. The cleanup of spent shell casings should not use brooms. The ventilation system should be on during cleanup operations. “

2) Never Sweep Spent Projectiles

This is almost as bad as sweeping the projectiles themselves. Picking up spent projectiles exposes the hands to lead and lead dust. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) needs to be worn. Even spent brass should be collected by someone wearing protective clothing. The brass has primer lead dust on it and must be handled appropriately.

3) Never Shop Vac

Most Shop Vacs come with a plain material filter or a foam filter. These can filter out large items, but it is not to be used for lead dust. Even HEPA filters are not good enough. If you have ever started a Shop Vac without cleaning the filter, you know the cloud that comes out.  

Gun Range Lead Containment On-Site

MT2 Firing Range Services contributes to the NSSF blog and recently wrote an article titled: “5 Tips for Onsite Lead Waste Management”. In the piece, we speak about the importance of Containerization.  It is important to use the proper containers for storage of your range waste. Eventually, this waste will be transported off-site to an appropriate disposal facility. As such, the best method of storage is to have the waste stored in readily transportable containers. For most ranges, DOT compliant drums and cubic-yard (CY) boxes work best.

Several regulatory agencies, such as the EPA and OSHA, acknowledge lead as a hazardous substance that requires special handling. Firing ranges can deal with a significant amount of lead – here are 5 key factors for range owners and managers to consider when storing lead on site. 

1. Training employees to handle lead. Even if you meet all regulations, improperly training employees on how to handle lead can undo all other steps you have taken. It only takes one employee, one accident, to cause lead contamination. You should ensure all employees are trained if they will be around lead. 
2. Containers to adequately protect your range. It is imperative that you have approved containers to store the lead you gather from your range. Effective containers can be the difference between a contaminated and a safe range. 
3. Correctly labeling lead containers. Lead may be stored near where it is created, but lead containers must be properly labeled. This prevents accidental contamination. 
4. Regular inspections of containment facilities. Despite your best efforts to protect your range, accidents happen. Sometimes containers fall over, break open, or are otherwise damaged. The best way to handle these accidents is to be prepared and to schedule regular inspections. This allows you to proactively address any issues that may arise. 
5. Proper documentation. Documenting the steps, you take has two benefits: it establishes a routine, so you don’t forget important details, and it protects you if/when your facility is inspected by any regulatory agency. Keep these documents in a safe location, with backups. 

While lead may be a hazardous material, it can be safe when handled correctly

MT2 Firing Range Services is the #1 largest most cost-effective nationwide professional indoor & outdoor firing range lead reclamation, maintenance and construction contractor providing the highest value for your recycled lead. Now in our 18th year in business, MT2 Firing Range Services is a recent Inc. 5,000 fastest growing company and is well-known industry wide for being the nation’s #1 largest professional provider of the full scale of outdoor/indoor firing range environmental/maintenance/construction services at over 2,500 ranges nationwide for Law Enforcement, Military and Commercial ranges in all 50 states. No one reclaims more lead or finishes a project faster than MT2!!