Tighter safety planned for Notre Dame cleanup

PARIS — Paris regional authorities say decontamination and cleanup work at Notre Dame cathedral will resume on Aug. 19 after new equipment and stricter safety procedures ensure workers are not exposed to unsafe levels of lead.

The administration suspended the job of removing hazardous substances from the fire-ravaged cathedral last month under pressure from labor inspectors concerned about health risks for workers.

Paris authorities said the new equipment, including decontamination units, will prevent “any release of polluting elements to the outside.”

Hundreds of tons of lead in Notre Dame’s spire and roof melted during the April fire.

This week, workers have started decontaminating some Paris schools as part of efforts to protect children from risks of lead poisoning.