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House Painting: EPA Lead Renovator Certification

Since its invention, lead paint has been a silent but persistent threat to human health. However, only recently, in the last few decades, has the true severity of its dangers come to light. In the late 1970s, the US government finally banned lead paint, and in the process probably protected large numbers of adults and children from paint-based lead poisoning. Still, banning the sale and use of lead paint wasn’t enough.

Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency went further, requiring companies whose employees work around lead paint to be certified according to a set of EPA guidelines. Like the 1978 ban, this government policy may be long overdue, but it’s definitely better late than never. Now, contractors who specialize in home renovation, repair, or painting (RRP) must become certified and follow very specific safety practices. The new program costs individual companies a bit more time and money, but in terms of health, it’s bound to pay big dividends to both the public and the RRP workers themselves.

The EPA first published its Lead Safety Certification Program in April 2008. Two years later, the measure went into effect. It affects all workers who interact with lead paint in homes, schools, or day care centers built before 1978. Over the past several years, the agency has raised awareness about lead-safe certification and the importance of hiring only certified companies, through of a powerful public relations campaign. According to EPA projections, more than 200,000 US contractors will have worked on pre-1978 properties between April 2010 and April 2011.

When it’s not being sanded, scraped, heated, or otherwise disturbed, lead paint doesn’t tend to harm people or pets. However, when removed without caution, it certainly does. High-traffic parts of a home, such as stairways and porches, are often important sites for lead dust production. Even the soil around a home can become clogged with lead from exterior paint. A blood test should be done for any child who has been in prolonged contact with lead dust or has ingested lead paint chips.

If you own a property built before 1978, you should tell prospective tenants about the presence of lead paint in the rental space, as well as any special hazards it might present. Sellers are equally obligated to provide such information to prospective buyers. A paint inspection and risk assessment can remove all doubt about how much lead is in a building’s paint and whether it is a potential hazard.

The new EPA program is, above all, a move to protect consumers. After all, children who breathe in lead dust may eventually have trouble learning, behaving, and thinking. In most cases, neither of these deficiencies is apparent until the damage is permanent. Lead hits children’s physiology harder than adults, which is one reason more than a million children today suffer from some degree of lead poisoning.

Mothers-to-be who ingest lead dust risk harming their unborn children. Other adults may simply be saddled with high blood pressure, reproductive dysfunction, nerve disease, reduced memory and concentration, or muscle and joint pain. Two-thirds of America’s homes and apartment buildings were built before 1978, so the lead-safety program is no laughing matter. Additionally, workers who contain their project with plastic sheeting and wear masks and protective clothing are also maximizing their own safety. They may also want to have regular blood tests.

Like most quality methods, lead-safe practices cost more than their hazardous counterparts. As a result, a business could spend an additional $8 to $167 on a given project; outdoor jobs that demand vertical containment add to the bill even more. Consumers who are not willing to pay for increased security may choose to do the necessary work themselves. After all, the EPA doesn’t supervise Joe Toolkit in his own home, which means he can or can’t take whatever safety precautions he wants. That being said, it is advisable to take into account the recommendations of the agency. Above all, don’t set a sandblasting machine above its lowest power level when working with lead paint, and seal vents, drains, and faucets to prevent dust from spreading throughout the room. home.

Certification requires an application form and a $300 fee. It also involves eight hours of training for workers, a quarter of which is hands-on. EPA has the power to approve instructors, some of whom own contracting companies, and instructors set their own fees. There are currently hundreds of accredited trainers in the US. They teach workers how to produce as little lead dust as possible, effectively contain a work area, and clean up in a way that minimizes risk. Pre-project preparation and communication of safety issues are also part of the curriculum, which is available in English and Spanish.

A newly certified company does not need to renew for five years. Businesses that still need certification can learn more about the process at http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/lead/pubs/lscp-renovation.htm. The program does not cover projects that disturb less than 6 square feet of paint inside a building or 20 square feet outside. States and tribes may develop their own equivalent lead safety policies, but they remain under EPA oversight.

If you have hired a contractor, the new program gives you several rights. First, you are entitled to a copy of the company’s certification and the EPA’s brochure on lead hazards. Second, you can request a detailed explanation of the lead-safe methods your project will involve. Last but not least, you can expect a certified company to provide three references on previous work on buildings prior to 1978.

Uncertified contractors risk jail time and/or hefty fines ($37,500 per violation per day is not unheard of). For more information on the certification program, please call 800-424-LEAD. Finding a certified company near you is easy; simply visit http://cfpub.epa.gov/flpp/searchrrp_firm.htm.

Lead paint can be a monster, but a little forethought and scrupulousness will almost certainly tame it. Both contractors and their customers have roles to play in ensuring that the Lead Safety Certification Program achieves its objectives. Businesses that do RRP work must maintain their certification, and the public should insist on certified businesses when looking for renovation, repair, or painting.