Although this episode did not affect any contractors, it highlights the seriousness with which the EPA takes its lead-safety rules for the benefit of home dwellers who may be exposed to lead-based paint. They can all take some easy measures to ensure that the contractors they hire are Lead-Safe Certified.
The EPA has developed an inspection checklist specifically for this task see below. Keep informed. Contact the EPA directly and let them know that you, as an InterNACHI inspector, are willing to be called upon to help educate the American homeowner-consumer about lead-safe practices.
Get Started. Grow Your Business. Show Menu. This federal mandate covers all contractors, renovators, electricians, HVAC specialists, plumbers, painters, handymen and maintenance staff who disrupt more than 6 interior square feet or 20 exterior square feet of lead paint in pre homes, schools, daycare centers and other places where children spend time.
According to government statistics, there were more than 7 million employees in the construction and remodeling industries in the U. The EPA is demonstrating good faith in protecting the public welfare by identifying a serious health threat and instituting necessary safety and training standards. Hardly a problem whose domain is Third World regions that have substandard construction or inspection practices, the health hazards caused by heavy-metal contamination in the U.
While public service announcements of 30 years ago depicted unsupervised children nibbling away at paint peeling off of rundown walls and gumming window sills, there are much more insidious means by which anyone can become exposed to levels of lead that are high and sustained enough to impair one's health long-term. Merely breathing in or swallowing lead dust can result in health problems, and some of them can be quite severe in vulnerable individuals.
What is Lead-Safe Certified? To become Lead-Safe Certified, individuals are required to: submit an application and fee to the EPA; and take eight hours of training of which two hours must be hands-on from an EPA-approved training provider. The certification is valid for five years. If they disturb painted surfaces of at least 6 square feet per room on the interior or 20 square feet on the exterior, they must use RRP practices. Some contractors and even inspectors may wonder whether ignoring lead-safety compliance is a risk worth taking, given the perceived likelihood of escaping the EPA's notice if their infractions go unreported.
Setting aside the potentially serious health hazards for the moment, consider the following. Louis, Inc. Louis, Mo. The fees in the rule reflect the cost to the Agency of accreditations and certifications. EPA developed the original fees before it had experience administering a lead-based paint accreditation and certification program.
That is no longer the case. The Agency used almost a decade of information to develop the revised fees. Information is also available at www. Skip to main content. Contact Us. Fact Sheet for the Fee Rule. Who is affected by the rule?
Would the rule apply nationwide? Why does EPA charge fees for accreditations and certifications? Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
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