GLE Associates, Inc.
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
888.453.4531
  • About
    • Locations
  • Services
  • Projects
  • Federal
  • Careers
  • Our Blog
  • Contact us
Previous post Here’s What You Need to Do After Your Mold Remediation Next post Big EPA Fines for Violating ‘Little’ Lead Paint Rule
orange cone and yellow caution tape to warn of lead paint

What Contractors Need to Know About Lead Paint

Michael Collins, CIH, CSP, CIEC14 November, 2017 Michael Collins, CIH, CSP, CIEC

It’s common to think that only the owners of old houses have to worry about lead paint. Unfortunately, that’s simply not true. Anyone who works in the renovation, repair, or painting industry needs to understand the hazards of lead paint and how to protect themselves and their employees as well as the building occupants. This is true in both residential and commercial settings, for any work done in a building older than 1978.

Fortunately, the EPA sets out clear standards for contractors conducting renovation, repair, and painting (RRP) projects. EPA’s Lead RRP Rule requires that firms performing renovation, repair, and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities and pre-schools built before 1978 have their firm certified by EPA (or an EPA authorized state), use certified renovators who are trained by EPA-approved training providers and follow lead-safe work practices. OSHA also has regulations dealing with lead exposure in any setting, commercial or residential.

Unfortunately, many contractors fail to follow these standards. This sets them up for regulatory problems and, worse, it sets their workers up for health problems. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself and your employees.

Understanding the Lead Paint Hazard

Lead is a highly toxic heavy metal that wreaks havoc in the human body. In adults, possible effects include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Joint and muscle pain
  • Memory and concentration problems
  • Headaches
  • Mood disorders
  • Infertility
  • Damage to unborn fetuses in pregnant women
  • Abdominal pain

In children, the effects are even more numerous and pronounced. At high enough concentrations, lead poisoning can be fatal.

During renovation, repair, and painting projects, lead paint is often disturbed, resulting in the production of lead paint dust. When unprotected, workers can readily inhale the dust, leading to lead poisoning.

The EPA Standard

The EPA’s 2008 Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule (as amended in 2010 and 2011), aims to protect the public from lead-based paint hazards associated with RRP activities being performed in homes, child care facilities and pre-schools built before 1978. The rule requires workers to be certified and trained in the use of lead-safe work practices, and requires RRP firms to be EPA certified.

This means that both in-house maintenance staff and external contractors who engage in any form of renovation, repair, or painting that may disturb lead-based paint must be certified. Lead-based paint may be present in any building constructed prior to 1978. Specifically, activities that may disturb lead-based paint include:

  • Remodeling
  • Repair
  • Electrical work
  • Plumbing
  • Painting preparation
  • Carpentry
  • Window replacement

During these activities, the EPA currently defines the following levels of lead in dust as hazardous:

  • 40 micrograms per square foot and higher for floors
  • 250 micrograms per square foot and higher for interior window sills

When hazardous levels of lead dust are present, dust cleanup activities must be conducted until clearance testing indicates that lead dust levels are below the hazardous levels.

Renovator Responsibilities

Certified renovators are responsible for ensuring compliance with the Lead-Based Paint RRP Program’s requirements throughout the renovation process. Specifically, they must:

  • Provide on-the-job training to other workers on lead-safe work practices
  • Be physically present at the work site when warning signs are posted, while the work area containment is established, and while work-area cleaning is performed
  • Regularly direct work being performed by other individuals to ensure lead-safe work practices are followed
  • Use an EPA recognized test kit or collect paint chip samples and submit them to an EPA-recognized laboratory when requested by the party contracting for renovation
  • Be available, on-site or by telephone, during all scheduled renovation times
  • Perform project cleaning verification
  • Maintain work site copies of certification
  • Prepare required written records

EPA safety standards for workers are not optional. Some contractors have learned this the hard way when they are cited for violations and pay hefty penalties. Don’t take that chance. Contact our lead paint consulting and remediation team today to protect your teams and yourself.

Previous post Here’s What You Need to Do After Your Mold Remediation Next post Big EPA Fines for Violating ‘Little’ Lead Paint Rule

Related Articles

Three Things Property Managers Need to Know about Lead-Based Paint

28 April, 2016Robert B. Greene, PE, PG, CIH, LEED AP Robert B. Greene, PE, PG, CIH, LEED AP
RRP Rule

9 Costly Renovation Mistakes to Avoid

28 April, 2016Robert B. Greene, PE, PG, CIH, LEED AP Robert B. Greene, PE, PG, CIH, LEED AP
renovation mistakes

Five Environmental Issues Every Renovation Must Take Into Account

12 January, 2016Edmund Smith Edmund Smith
Michael Collins, CIH, CSP, CIEC Principal Certified Industrial Hygienist As a Principal Certified Industrial Hygienist for GLE, Michael Collins has over 26 years of experience in planning and managing complex industrial hygiene and environmental projects and investigations. He has extensive experience in OSHA-related projects such as exposure assessments, ergonomic evaluations, ventilation assessments, and noise surveys. In addition to his role at GLE, Mr. Collins serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of North Alabama in the Chemistry and Industrial Hygiene Department. Contact

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Blog subscription

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Categories

  • Architecture
  • Building Forensics
  • Catastrophe Response
  • Civil Engineering
  • Construction Consulting
  • Indoor Environmental
  • Industrial Hygiene
  • MEP Engineering
  • Outdoor Environmental
  • Property Condition Assessment
  • Sin categoría
  • Who We Serve

Search

Services

  • Indoor Environmental
  • Outdoor Environmental
  • Industrial Hygiene
  • Construction Consulting
  • Building Forensics
  • Property Condition Assessment
  • Catastrophe & Insurance Services
  • Architecture

Site Links

  • Home
  • Our Blog
  • About
  • Career Opportunities
  • Contact us
  • Locations

Learn More

Subscribe To The GLE Blog
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
© 2022 GLE Associates, Inc. All Rights Reserved. AR 0007729; PE RY5483; Asbestos ZA 0000034; PG 1737
Design & Developed by TranquilBlue

Subscribe To The GLE Blog

Blog Signup

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.