[speeder]

The danger of lead-based paint to adults is highly over-rated, IMO. I've been breathing tons of it in dust form for over 20 years and when I have my blood checked for lead, there isn't any. Plus it just isn't very dangerous except to developing small children. That's why the whole *babies eating paint chips* campaign got legs.

Don't get me wrong, breathing any foreign matter is not desirable but the idea that you will be harmed by one exposure to scraping some old paint is a big nothing. If it was really dangerous, I'd be so dead. I specialize in renovations of old houses that include heavy removal of old paints and stains, stripping/scraping/burning/sanding/etc. The real danger is to the environment, (water table), if you do not dispose of the old paint chips and dust. I collect every bit possible using drop cloths and brooms/dustpans and take it to household waste collection sites. Nothing goes in the trash.

Use a good respirator if it's heavy work, otherwise just a good 3M dust mask. Definitely prime the prepped surface before painting if you want it to stick.