County relocates workers in response to non-airborne lead detection at Fire District warehouse

About 20 San Bernardino County Fire District employees have been relocated from a Fire District warehouse and training classroom, and many others who were utilizing or accessing the warehouse facility were restricted from access, after an 11-month effort by the county to address and assess the discovery of lead paint in the facility at San Bernardino International Airport.

“Employee health and safety is the County’s highest priority,” the county said in a news release on Dec. 2. “Though no employees have yet filed a complaint claiming possible illness from the lead, County leadership still determined it was prudent to restrict access to the warehouse in an abundance of caution.”

On Dec. 27, 2021, the County Fire District warehouse underwent environmental testing due to heavy rains and a possible roof leak. Testing was conducted in the area where the leak occurred, and lead was present but not considered an immediate threat.

Since December, several environmental tests were conducted in various locations throughout the warehouse.

The first non-airborne lead dust samples of the warehouse were taken on July 27. Warehouse staff was advised of lead testing results in writing and in person on Oct. 31 and were provided with lead awareness training. Employees will be offered free lead exposure testing.

Follow-up testing showed contaminated dust in five of 24 wipe samples.

Wipe samples were taken in specified work areas in the warehouse again on Nov. 23, and no lead dust was found.

“The county is continuing testing in the warehouse and in adjacent County Fire facilities and will continue any remediation actions as results come in,” the news release said.

The county is working to secure an alternative warehouse location. Items from the warehouse are being cleaned by an environmental company before they are sent to fire stations.

“As it does with all incidents, the County is examining its response to this situation and is identifying improvements to internal processes to ensure future challenges are addressed as effectively and efficiently as possible,” the news release said.

The 29,979-square-foot warehouse is located on 3.84 acres at 2824 East W Street in San Bernardino and is used to store equipment and supplies for the Fire District’s 48 fire stations throughout the county.

The county leases the warehouse and land from the San Bernardino International Airport Authority. The source of the non-airborne lead dust is believed to be lead paint used in the facility long before the county began leasing it.

The county is inspecting all facilities on the lot for lead contamination.