Lead paint has been putting homeowners’ and manufacturers’ health and lives at risk for years. It wasn’t until the 20th century that the hazards of lead paint were realized; the U.S. government banned its use or sale in 1978. Unfortunately, many American homes and schools still have lead paint in their walls. If you decide to renovate, paint, or repair your home, take heed, because it can be dangerous; it may turn existing lead paint into dust that adults or children can inhale. Certified Lead Paint Renovator methods are increasingly effected by lead paint. It is for this reason that the Environmental Protection Agency EPA decided to create a new certification program that stipulates repair, renovation, and painting RRP workers to take special training and use “lead-safe” practices on jobs. RRP workers agree: it’s a long overdue and important safety measure.
In April 2010, the EPA’s Lead-Safe Certification Program, published in 2008, took effect. The program requires RRP workers, when working with lead paint in schools, child-care centers, or homes built before 1978, to be certified in lead paint removal. The EPA also began a PR campaign to encourage consumers to only go with certified RRP firms. The agency estimates that over 200,000 United States renovators will have done work on pre-1978 buildings within one year of the program’s inception.
If lead paint is in technically “good shape,” it won’t usually harm humans; it’s only when removed improperly does it cause problems. Lead paint dust or chips are more likely to be on the areas of your house that get the most use, i.e., doors, stairs, windowsills, and porches. When a RRP worker sands, scrapes, or heats an area with lead paint, it can turn it into particle matter that hangs out in the air.
What many home or business owners may not realize is that the ground around their property could contain lead The dirt can absorb lead paint particles from the exterior walls, and dust inside the building can contain lead. Children that may have prolonged exposure from lead should be taken to the doctor immediately to get a blood test.
Landlords of buildings built before 1978 are now required by the EPA to discuss possible lead paint present in the building with potential renters and owners; this information must also be listed on the lease agreement. If you’re selling a building built pre-1978, you must also provide all lead paint details to the buyers making a purchase. A seller or buyer may request a paint inspection if they’re unsure whether or not the building contains lead.
The EPA’s Lead-Safe Certification Program may seem like its purpose is to intrude upon a home or business owner’s privacy, but that’s not what it’s meant for. After all, if children are exposed to lead paint, they can have learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and compromised intelligence; symptoms may not even appear until the irreversible damage has already been done. Not taking a child’s health seriously is a crime, especially when it comes to lead paint – their bodies are still developing, so poisonous lead exposure takes a greater toll on them than it does on adults. While lead poisoning in children is completely preventable, it still affects over one million children.
Inhaling lead paint dust is not good for pregnant women. If an expecting mom-to-be inhales lead dust, her fetus may be in danger. In adults, excess lead can lead to nerve damage, hypertension, declined memory or concentration, reproductive issues, or pain in the joints or muscles. About two-thirds of American homes were built before 1978, so the EPA’s new program is extremely important current issue.
RRP workers who practice lead-safe procedures are not only protecting clients but also themselves. Protective clothing and facemasks should be employed as well as plastic sheeting to contain a work area. Workers should also take regular blood tests.
While the new practices from the EPA cost more than the old, unsafe ones do, it’s important for RRP workers to follow the rules. A lead-safe job costs between $8 and $167 more. If you are dealing with an exterior job that needs vertical containment, it’ll cost you even more. Because these extra expenses on the contractor’s part may cost the customer more, some homeowners and landlords may want to do these improvements themselves; it spares them having to follow the EPA’s rules to the letter, but it would be unwise to ignore them. One of the most important aspects of the program is to sandblast lead paint only at low power, and to seal drains, vents, and faucets when removing paint; otherwise, dust could infiltrate your home.
A company needs to apply for certification with a form and a $300 fee. The company’s employees then take eight hours of training, two of which are hands-on. EPA-accredited trainers provide instruction, and some contractors even serve as trainers for their area. Presently, hundreds of approved trainers reside in the United States, and each one determines his or her training fees. After being trained, RRP workers will lessen the quantity of lead dust produced on each job, effectively contain their work area, and clean up completely after a job is finished. The RRP workers also prepare the homes before starting work and notify the owners about safety concerns during the process of renovating their home.
Lead paint certification by the EPA for removal is valid for up to five years. If your RRP company isn’t yet certified, contact the EPA as soon as possible. Learning online is a great option. Training materials are available in English as well as Spanish and inform the worker about dust containment, prep, proper clean-up and much more. Small jobs or, jobs that disturb less than 6 sq. ft. of interior paint or 20 sq. ft. of exterior paint don’t have to follow the new rules. Tribes and states may invent their own lead-safe practices, but they should be equivalent to the federal ones.
A contractor should provide the EPA’s pamphlet on lead dangers to a customer. Customers have the right to see a company’s certification and/or receive a copy of it; the company should also explain the lead-safe practices it uses on individual jobs. Remember that your contractor should have at least three references based on pre-1978 jobs; he or she should also keep a record of all major details in relation to their employees’ training in lead-safe practices.
Not hiring a certified RRP company and going instead with an uncertified one isn’t worth it; you’re putting yourself and others in danger, and your contractor would even risk large fines of up to $37,500/violation/day or even jail time. If you still have reservations about the EPA’s lead-safe certification, call 1-800-424-LEAD; you can also look for a firm in your area by going to the EPA website.
Lead paint dangers should not be taken lightly. The EPA is, after all, only trying to protect consumers and workers. It’s now the consumers’ choice to demand the safest possible work practices, and to the contractors to become certified and use only EPA-regulated practices. If everyone works together, we can ensure greater safety in buildings and homes all across the United States.