Prefect Michel Cadot, the government's top official for the Paris region, approved the resumption of the works after visiting the site, saying the decontamination work would help keep contractors safe. The official said securing the structure is required before the restoration work can begin. France's culture ministry said that the work has resumed with around 50 people involved.

Renovation work at the famed cathedral was halted last month over fears that workers could be exposed to lead poisoning after testing revealed dangerously high levels of contamination at the site and surrounding areas. Hundreds of tons of lead in the roof and steeple melted during the fire that nearly destroyed the gothic masterpiece, with winds spreading the particles well beyond the church's grounds. France’s President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to rebuild Notre-Dame within five years while the culture ministry said the restoration can only begin next year.