Six Steps To Lead Containment: A Lead Certified Contractor’s Guide to EPA RRP Worksite Containment: Step One

It’s a surprising statistic that lead paint was used in approximately 38 million homes prior to its banning in 1978. The EPA estimates that 24% of homes built between 1960 and 1978 contain lead paint, 69% of homes built between 1940-1960 and 87% of those built before 1940 contain lead paint. Lead paint is out there, and you need to know the RRP Rules and Regulations in order to maintain compliance with them. In this series of articles we will provide you with a step by step guide to proper containment procedures and materials to help you to ensure compliance with the EPA RRP Rules.

Remember, you must be EPA Certified prior to starting on a lead contaminated renovation project. One eight hour course will get you certified, it’s inexpensive and well worth the investment. Failure to comply may result in fines of up to $37,500.00 per day, per violation. If a repair or renovation will disturb more than six square feet of interior painted surfaces or 20 square feet of exterior painted surfaces, these rules apply to you.

As a contractor working on homes and childcare facilities built prior to 1978, you should be aware of the new EPA RRP Lead Safety regulations that place specific legal responsibilities on renovators, painters, plumbers, electricians and glaziers. Homeowners on the other hand are typically unaware of the rules until a lead certified renovator or a health related incident brings them to their attention…

Distributing The EPA Renovate Right Pamphlet
If you are working on a home or childcare facility built prior to 1978, Federal law requires that you provide the homeowners and residents with the EPA’s Renovate Right Brochure. This pamphlet is available and downloadable from the EPA’s website; it informs residents of the hazards of lead contamination, the basics of lead containment and provides recommendations for lead testing and the hiring of Lead Certified Renovation professionals.

Distributing this brochure can be a useful marketing tool for you as well. You can set yourself apart from the competition as an EPA Certified Firm and Renovator. Additionally, the brochure educates homeowners regarding the special equipment and containment materials that will be required and ultimately built into your proposal. The Renovate Right brochure can help you to pass through these additional operating costs; homeowners that understand the hazards of lead contamination also understand the extra expenses required to provide them with a safe living environment both during and following the renovation.

Once you have won the bid, there will be new materials you will need to invest in prior to beginning the project. In the next issue in this series, Step Two: Before the Work Begins, Containing the Area , we will provide a shopping list and breakdown the procedures required to contain the work area. The RRP Rules and recommendations that we review in this article are designed to protect both the workers and the occupants from the hazards of lead poisoning. The processes are not difficult or costly, in fact they are fairly straightforward, so make sure you get EPA Lead Certified prior to beginning any RRP regulated renovations, follow the RRP Rules, and get the lead out right.

The new EPA RRP Lead Safety Rule - Myth, Mania or Material Risk?

Many of our students enter the new EPA Lead Paint Certification classes skeptical of the real risks that might be involved in working on lead-based paint contaminated renovations.  After all, US regulations discontinued its sale after 1978. Students question whether the new regulations will merely hinder their ability to get the job done. 

While contamination levels have dropped since the 1960’s, the CDC estimates that approximately 250,000 U.S. children aged 1-5 years have blood lead levels greater than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood, the level at which CDC recommends public health actions be initiated.  The Ohio ABLES Registry reports that 14% of adults age 16-80 tested for elevated lead levels had levels greater than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood.  Elevated contamination levels were most likely to be reported for individuals in the age range of 40-64. It is assumed that this greater risk is due to the fact that these individuals are more likely to be working fulltime, thus increasing their risk of exposure.

Lead causes long term nervous system damage, stunted growth, delayed development, and emotional issues in children and adults.  It has been known to cause kidney damage and can affect most organ systems in the body. As a danger to adults, it can cause reproductive problems for both men and women. Lead paint is particularly treacherous because it tastes sweet, therefore encouraging children to put lead chips and toys with lead dust in their mouth.

One myth related to lead-based paint is that children must eat leaded paint chips to develop lead poisoning, when in fact the most common exposure to children occurs through ingestion of lead dust from normal hand-to-mouth contact when they swallow lead dust dislodged from deteriorated paint or leaded dust generated during contractor repair work, remodeling or paint surface preparation work.

Much like Asbestos and second hand smoke, lead dust is an insidious contaminant that is not easily eliminated from the body by normal processes.  Given that lead dust is portable and can easily contaminate ventilation systems, vehicles and worker’s clothing, the EPA’s guidelines for lead safety, containment and protective gear are meaningful and necessary.  To learn more about the guidelines and learn how to get the lead out right, click on the links to the EPA’s RRP website.  If you are interested in learning more about the curriculum and exam necessary for certification check out our website at www.leadpaintremovaltraining.com.  In my next post, I’ll go over the specifics of lead poisoning: its symptoms in children and adults as well as treatment options.