Overview
Induscoat removes lead-based paint from steel structures, bridges, tanks and older equipment on industrial and commercial sites in Quebec and Ontario, working from LaSalle, Montreal. Each job covers testing before the quote, containment, worker protection, hazardous waste handling and, once the steel is clean, repainting with a new protective system.
Induscoat removes lead-based paint from older steel structures, bridges, tank exteriors and equipment on industrial and commercial sites in Quebec and Ontario, working from LaSalle, Montreal. Paint samples are analyzed by a laboratory and exposure is assessed before the quote. The method is chosen for the job: contained abrasive blasting with recovery, chemical stripping, power tools with HEPA vacuum, or encapsulation when removal is not justified. Containment follows SSPC Guide 6, worker protection follows the occupational health and safety rules of each province, and debris is handled as hazardous waste under SSPC Guide 7 and provincial regulations. The steel is then repainted with a new protective system. No residential work.
Where lead paint is found
Lead paint is found mostly on steel painted before lead-based primers were phased out of industrial systems. Red lead and other lead pigments were used as anti-corrosion primers, and many of those coats are still in place, often buried under newer paint.
- Older steel structures: industrial building frames, walkways, pipe supports and overhead crane runways.
- Steel bridges, footbridges and towers.
- Tanks and silos, exterior side, with their stairs and handrails.
- Older equipment: machine bases, hoppers, conveyors, penstocks, gates and hydraulic equipment.
The work is carried out by our crews and qualified subcontractors. The service is for industrial and commercial sites only: we do not remove lead paint from houses, apartments or residential garages.
Assessment before the quote
Before pricing lead paint removal, we confirm that lead is present and assess the exposure risk. Without that information, neither the method nor the containment can be set properly.
- Paint samples: taken from each distinct system (colours, repainting periods) and analyzed by a laboratory. The result gives the lead content and often flags other metals such as chromium or cadmium.
- Condition survey: total film thickness, adhesion, number of coats and extent of rust. Paint that still holds does not call for the same response as paint that is flaking.
- Exposure assessment: the method under consideration, task duration, and how close site workers, the public, waterways and air intakes are.
- Site constraints: operating plant, traffic under the structure, shutdown window, power supply for vacuum equipment.
If you already have a lab report, attach it to your request. If not, we arrange the sampling.
Removal methods and when to choose each
The method depends on the surface, the condition of the paint, the coating to follow and how much dust and noise the site can accept.
- Contained abrasive blasting with recovery: the most productive method on large areas, and the only one that leaves steel ready for a zinc-rich primer. Spent abrasive and paint are vacuumed and recovered; a recyclable abrasive cuts the volume of waste. See our abrasive blasting service.
- Chemical stripping: a stripper is applied, left to work, then removed along with the softened paint. Useful on complex parts, near dust-sensitive equipment or where blasting is not allowed. It creates no profile, so blasting or power tool cleaning often follows.
- Power tools with HEPA vacuum: grinders, brushes and needle scalers fitted with a shroud connected to a HEPA vacuum. For limited areas, spot repairs and work in operating plants (SSPC-SP 3 or SSPC-SP 11).
- Encapsulation: when the paint is still well bonded and removal is not justified, it is overcoated with a compatible system that seals it in. The lead stays in place and must be recorded in your files for future work.
Torch or flame removal is not offered: it produces lead fumes.
How a lead paint removal project runs
A lead paint removal project follows six steps, from testing to the close-out file.
- Testing and assessment: lab results, condition survey, choice of method and containment class.
- Quote and work plan: method, containment, protective measures, waste handling, repaint system and schedule.
- Set-up: containment, decontamination areas, signage, protection of adjacent equipment.
- Removal: preparation to the specified grade, continuous vacuum recovery, HEPA vacuuming of the enclosure at the end of each shift.
- Waste handling: bagging, labelling, secure storage, characterization and transport to an authorized facility.
- Repainting: a new system applied to the clean steel through our industrial painting service, under the same inspection file.
Containment and worker protection
Containment and worker protection are set before work begins, not adjusted along the way. They depend on the method, the lead content and the surroundings.
- Containment to SSPC Guide 6: the guide classifies enclosures by how tight they are, how they are supported, how they are ventilated and how exhaust air is treated. The selected class is written into the quote: permeable tarps for limited power tool work, a sealed enclosure under negative pressure with a dust collector for dry blasting.
- Quebec: worker protection follows the Regulation respecting occupational health and safety, which sets permissible exposure values for lead, together with CNESST requirements.
- Ontario: lead is a designated substance under Ontario's designated substances regulation made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act; control measures follow that framework and the ministry's guideline for construction projects.
- Exposure monitoring: air sampling in the workers' breathing zone and around the enclosure, to confirm the measures in place are working.
- Protective equipment: respirators selected from the measured exposure, disposable coveralls, washing and decontamination facilities, and no eating or smoking in the work area.
Waste, inspections and standards
Lead paint removal debris is handled as hazardous waste until shown otherwise. A leachate test on the debris determines how it is classified under provincial regulations.
- Quebec: the Regulation respecting hazardous materials, for characterization, storage, transport and disposal.
- Ontario: the general waste management regulation made under the Environmental Protection Act.
- SSPC Guide 7: handling and disposal of lead-contaminated surface preparation debris, including separating recyclable abrasive from waste.
- SSPC Guide 6: containment classes and emission checks around the enclosure.
The file includes lab results, exposure records, waste transport manifests and the inspections of the new paint system. For the system that follows, our reference page on protective coatings sets out the options.
Pricing: by quote
Lead paint removal is priced by quote, because containment and waste often weigh as much as the removal itself. The factors that drive it:
- The area and the shape of the parts: lattice members, bolted connections and the underside of decks take longer.
- The method and the containment class required.
- The lead content, any other metals present and the volume of waste to dispose of.
- Access, height and traffic under the structure.
- The repaint system and the work window.
Send photos, approximate dimensions, the location and any existing lab report with your quote request: we reply within 24 business hours.
Where we work
Induscoat provides lead paint removal in Montreal, across Quebec and in Ontario, working from LaSalle:
- Montreal and Montérégie
- Quebec, for the province as a whole
- Abitibi-Témiscamingue
- Côte-Nord
- Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
- Mauricie–Centre-du-Québec
- Ontario
When this service is not the right answer
This service is not the right fit when testing finds no lead: the paint then comes off by ordinary surface preparation, without this level of containment, under our industrial painting service. Nor is it for houses, apartments or residential garages, which we do not handle.
If the steel has lost thickness under the old paint, repairing the structure comes first, under our maintenance and rehabilitation service. And if you are weighing full removal against encapsulation, a corrosion and coating assessment compares both options before work is committed.
Typical Applications
- Lead paint removal from older steel structures, crane runways and pipe supports
- Lead paint abatement on steel bridges, footbridges and towers
- Removal or encapsulation on tank exteriors, silos and older equipment
- Lead paint removal before repainting or before hot work such as welding and cutting
Typical Problems We Solve
- Old paint of unknown composition that must be tested before any surface preparation
- Flaking lead-based paint releasing contaminated chips and dust on site
- Welding, cutting or grinding planned on painted steel that may contain lead
- Debris that must be characterized and disposed of as hazardous waste
What You Receive
- Laboratory analysis of paint samples and exposure assessment before the quote
- Work plan stating the method, the SSPC Guide 6 containment class and protective measures
- Exposure monitoring records and waste transport manifests
- New paint system applied to the clean steel, with thickness readings on file
Timeline
Set in the quote according to lab results, surface area, method, containment class and work window. Quote sent within 24 business hours of receiving photos and dimensions.
Standards & Certifications
- SSPC Guide 6: containing surface preparation debris generated during paint removal
- SSPC Guide 7: disposal of lead-contaminated surface preparation debris
- Quebec Regulation respecting occupational health and safety: worker exposure to lead
- Quebec Regulation respecting hazardous materials; Ontario designated substances regulation
Industries We Serve
- Energy: older steel structures, penstocks, gates and towers
- Mining and metallurgy: process buildings, crane runways, conveyors
- Infrastructure: steel bridges, footbridges and civil structures
- Manufacturing and commercial buildings: older frames, tanks and equipment
Service FAQ
How do I know if the paint on my structure contains lead?
Only an analysis can tell. Samples are taken from each distinct paint system, down to the steel, and sent to a laboratory. On structures painted long ago, assume lead may be present until results come back, especially before any grinding, blasting, welding or cutting. If you already have a lab report, send it with your request.
Do you always have to remove lead paint, or can it be encapsulated?
Not always. When the paint is still well bonded and no welding or cutting is planned, encapsulation with a compatible system can be the sounder choice: it seals the lead in and avoids generating hazardous debris. When the paint is flaking, poorly bonded or will be disturbed by future work, removal is the lasting answer. The condition survey and an adhesion check decide.
Which removal method do you use?
It depends on the job. Contained abrasive blasting with recovery suits large areas and leaves steel ready for a zinc-rich primer. Chemical stripping suits complex parts or areas where blasting is not allowed. Power tools with HEPA vacuum suit limited areas and operating plants. Torch or flame removal is not offered, because it produces lead fumes.
Do you remove lead paint in houses or residential garages?
No. Induscoat works on industrial and commercial sites only: steel structures, bridges, tanks and equipment. For a house, an apartment or a residential garage, contact a contractor that specializes in residential work.
How much does lead paint removal cost?
Pricing is by quote. It depends on the area and shape of the parts, the method, the containment class, the lead content, the volume of waste, access and the repaint system. Send photos, approximate dimensions, the location and any existing lab report: we send a quote within 24 business hours.
Technical guides
Related applications
Concrete industrial use cases where this service is applied.
Other Services
Areas we serve
- Industrial coatings and maintenance in Quebec
- Industrial coatings and maintenance in Montreal
- Industrial coatings and maintenance in Ontario
- Industrial coatings and maintenance in Abitibi-Témiscamingue
- Industrial coatings and maintenance on the Côte-Nord
- Industrial coatings and maintenance in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
- Industrial coatings and maintenance in Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec
- Industrial coatings and maintenance in Montérégie
Go deeper
Our technical notes on the subject — applicable standards, selection criteria and implementation traps.