I run into a lot of lead paint on old furniture and doors. The only reasonably safe way to remove it is with a chemical stripper. Scraping sends tiny bits of it flying all around and even with plastic down, it gets carried on the wind, on your clothes and shoes. In my case, some usually ends up hitching a ride in my hair. Even if you don't eat the flakes, make sure you don't plant anything edible close to the house, so that you don't get it second hand from your prize tomatoes. Sanding just turns it into toxic dust. Heat gun turns it into toxic vapor. Steam works some times if it's something small enough to bag up and steam the stuff loose.
The big problem with lead is that since your body can't purge it out very fast, if you continue to be exposed to it, it builds up over time. If you're ever concerned about it, your doc can do a simple blood test to see how bad your cumulative exposure is. The funny thing is that almost everyone has had some exposure to it. It might not even be from what you think. Two really common household items - cheap dinner ware and cheap mini blinds - are some of the most common sources of lead exposure.
