Renovation, Repair & Paint rules - effective April 22, 2010.

This affects both builders and subcontractors:

ALL residences, child care, day care, schools, multi-family - ALL living places built before 1978 must be tested for the presence of lead on painted or finished surfaces when renovating, repairing or painting.

You must give to every client (homeowner, renter, landlord, etc.) with a home built before 1978 the “Renovate Right” pamphlet. It has an acknowledgement page that they must sign before you can begin.

If any of the following work is to be done:

Any window replacement - not just the entire window, but the sill, frame, etc.

Disturbance of any interior surface over 6 square feet

Disturbance of any exterior surface over 20 square feet per side of the building you must take the 8 hour certification class and pass the test in order to perform the initial testing for the presence of lead.

After you are certified, you must train your workers in lead containment procedures.

You must use the EPA lead testing kit - it is the only one approved at this time.

This pertains to:

Maintenance technicians

Service personnel

Drywall mechanics

Plumbers

HVAC support staff

Electricians

Window and siding installers

Appliances installers

Cabinet specialists

Painters

Flooring installers

Training and Certification: Beginning in April 2010, firms working in pre-1978 homes will need to be certified. In addition to firm certification, an employee will also need to be a Certified Renovator.  This employee is responsible for training other employees and overseeing work practices and cleaning.

The training curriculum for certification, in development with the EPA, will be an eight-hour class with two hours of hands-on training. Both the firm and renovator certifications are valid for five years.  A Certified Renovator must take a four-hour refresher course to be re-certified.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently enacted new regulations affecting contractors performing renovation work in residential dwellings or child-occupied facilities built before 1978. The regulation is called “Lead: Renovation, repair and Painting Program” (RRP). Starting in April 2010, any renovation work (including painting) which disturbs painted surfaces in residential dwellings or child-occupied facilities built before 1978 must be performed by a person trained in lead-safe work practices, with specific responsibilities for a new discipline of “Certified Renovator”. To become a Certified Renovator, a person must attend an 8-hour EPA-approved training course from an accredited training provider.