Last Updated: September 3, 2019
Target Shooting and Lead
People who routinely go target shooting are at increased risk for exposure to lead. When a gun is fired, lead dust and vapors are released and can be breathed in or settle on the skin, hair, or clothes. Lead has no biological role in the body, and no level of lead is known to be safe. Lead is especially harmful to children, and can contribute to learning disabilities or ADHD.
Protect Your Child from Lead
It only takes a small amount of lead to raise a child’s blood lead level. Lead dust brought home from a shooting range on shoes or clothing can settle on floors, then be picked up on objects or a child’s hands, and from there taken to a child’s mouth. After going shooting, wash your hands, arms, and face to remove lead from your skin. Change your clothes when you get home and wash them separately. Keep down the amount of lead dust in the home through regular wet cleaning of floors. If you shoot regularly and have a child who is less than 6 years old, talk to your child’s doctor about lead poisoning and whether your child should be tested.
For more information for indoor gun range owners, employees, and customers, please see our handout on Lead and Firing Ranges fact sheet.