For centuries, lead paint has been a dangerous aspect of painting. 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. Still, many American schools and homes still have lead paint on their walls. And while renovating, repairing, or painting your home can be an exciting time, it can also be a dangerous one – it can turn existing lead paint into dust that children or adults can inhale quite easily. 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.
The EPA’s Lead-Safe Certification Program, published in 2008, took effect April 2010. 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 then went on a PR blitz to encourage clients to only work with RRP firms that were certified in lead paint removal. 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.
Lead paint that is in technically “good shape” will only harm humans when removed in the wrong way. Most of the time, lead dust or chips will be found on the areas of the building that get the most use, like stairs, doors, porches, and windowsills. 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.
Another air of lead paint concern that homeowners may not know about is the dirt around your house. The dirt can absorb lead paint particles from the exterior walls, and dust inside the building can contain lead. If you’re worried that your children have been exposed and suffered from prolonged exposure, take them to the doctor for 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 someone is sell a building built before 1978, they also have to provide lead paint details to all parties in the decision-making process toward making a purchase. If a seller or buyer doesn’t know if the building contains lead, they can have a paint inspection and risk assessment done to determine how much lead if any is in the paint and what problems it may cause.
The Lead-Safe Certification Program may seem to be fear-mongering to some, but it wasn’t developed by the government just to inquire into a homeowners’ private life. If a child is exposed to lead paint, he or she can have behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and compromised intelligence; symptoms may not be present until the damage done is irreversible. A child’s developing body is more prone to lead poisoning than an adults’, and it takes a greater toll. Lead poisoning in children is preventable, but it unfortunately still affects over one million kids.
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 use lead-safe work practices aren’t just protecting consumers – they’re also protecting themselves. Facemasks and protective clothing is advisable for many jobs, and plastic sheeting is usually used to contain a work area. Workers, like children exposed to lead dust, 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. Lead-safe projects cost between $8 and $167 more on average. Exterior projects that need vertical containment will cost more. Because of the higher cost of following EPA rules, some home and business owners may take it upon themselves to do these projects; that way, they don’t have to follow the EPA rules exactly, but it would be a bad idea not to. An aspect of the program that should be followed to the letter is to sandblast lead paint only at low power and to seal vents, faucets, and drains when going through the paint removal process; otherwise, the lead dust could filter into your home.
To apply for certification, a company needs to fill out a form and pay a $300 fee. The company’s employees then take eight hours of training, two of which are hands-on. The EPA provides accredited instructors to give proper training, and some contractors may serve as trainers in their area. There are hundreds of approved trainers across the U.S., and each one decides their own instructor fees. Once trained, the RRP workers will lessen the quantity of lead dust produced on each job, effectively contain their work area, and clean up entirely after a job is done. The RRP workers also prepare the homes before starting work and notify the owners about safety concerns during the process of renovating their home.
EPA certification for lead paint removal is valid for five years. If your RRP company isn’t certified yet, you can contact the EPA to get started. 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. Smaller jobs, or ones that disturb less than 6 square feet of interior paint or 20 square feet of exterior paint, do not have to follow the new procedures. States and tribes can create their own personal lead-safe practices, but they must be equivalent to the federal practices.
A customer should receive the EPA’s pamphlet on lead dangers from his or her contractor. Clients have the right to view a firm’s certification and/or receive a copy of it, and the company should explain the lead-safe practices it will employ on a certain job. 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.
If you choose to hire an uncertified RRP company, know that it isn’t worth it; you’d be putting yourself and others at risk, and your contractor would risk large fines as much as $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.
