EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Certified

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Lead - What you should know about lead paint certification

The Environmental Protection Agency's Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, which took effect April 22, applies to projects undertaken by professionals at homes built before 1978 where paint is being disturbed.

 

The agency has done away with an "opt-out" provision that would have exempted homes where no pregnant women or children under age 6 live.

 

Projects are to be performed by certified firms and the work done by certified individuals or others trained in the safety practices. Those measures include:

 

Posting warning signs outside the work area and sealing off the area from the residence's occupants until post-demolition or renovation cleaning has been done to ensure the area is lead-free.

 

For inside renovations, covering all ducts. Furniture, windows and rugs must either be removed from a work area or covered with plastic sheeting and sealed. Workers, their tools and other items are to be free of dust before leaving a work area. Interior walls must be cleaned top to bottom.

 

For outside projects, covering the ground with plastic sheeting that extends 10 feet beyond the work area.

 

Prohibiting the use of power sanders, grinders and other tools that remove lead-based paint unless the machines are used with HEPA exhaust control.

 

Renovation firms must provide homeowners or the occupant of a property with a short, easy-to-read checklist that shows the workers were certified and the appropriate safety practices were observed. Companies do not have to provide a copy of a certified worker's training certificate.

 

Each violation of the rule is punishable by a fine of $37,500.

 

More information on the rule and the dangers of lead poisoning is available at epa.gov/lead.

Services:

 

XRF Lead-Based Paint Inspection

A licensed inspector will utilize an XRF sampling instrument to test all exterior and interior

painted surfaces of the building for lead based paint. This procedure is non damaging to the

painted surfaces, with on-site results.

 

Lead Paint Removal

Bain is a licensed contractor for lead abatement for residential, commercial and industrial

buildings. Licensed workers perform all work with proper containment to protect the health

of occupants.

 

Section 8 Clearance

A licensed inspector will collect a dust wipe sample from each painted area noted in the

section 8 report as being *Above Deminimus.* All painted areas that are noted as *Below

Deminimus* must pass a visual inspection.

 

Lead Risk Assessment

A licensed risk assessor will conduct a thorough inspection of the property to determine any

lead hazards. Appropriate sampling may include dust wipes or lead paint chip sampling.

 

Abatement Clearance Inspection

A licensed inspector will visually inspect and collect dust wipe samples within the area where

abatement occurred.

 

Project Management/Air

Monitoring generally performed during lead abatement activities or along the perimeter of

the work area used to determine exposure levels of lead in air.

Overview
All buildings constructed prior to 1978 has the potential to contain lead-based paint. Of the 64 million dwellings in the U.S. that contain lead-based paint, 3 million are in Illinois and one million are located in the Chicago area. Chicago has among the highest lead poisoning rates in the nation with over 55,000 children identified between 1997 to 2000.


If you suspect your building contains lead-based paint, have the area inspected by a licensed building inspector, especially if there are young children or pregnant women present.


An estimated 1.7 million children have blood-lead levels above safe limits set forth by the EPA.The following are common health effects associated with exposure to lead:

  • Learning Disabilities
  • Impaired Growth
  • Hearing Loss
  • IQ Decline
  • Stomach Aches
  • Mental Retardation

 

Where is lead found?
Lead is primarily found in the exterior and interior paint of the building. Lead was added to paint for three main reasons: Color Enhancement, Increased Durability & as a Drying Agent. Lead-based paint is typically found in window systems, bathrooms, door jambs, soffits, chair rails and doors.


Lead in Water  Paint is not the only place you will find lead. Lead can also be found in drinking water, primarily through leaded solder, brass fittings/fixtures and primary service lines. If the building was constructed before 1978 and the original water piping is still present, it is recommended to have your water supply tested for concentrations of lead.

Lead in Soil  The soil surrounding a building can also contain lead. Leaded gasoline (deposited prior to phase-down in use), factory emissions, weathering and chipping of lead-based paint on the exterior of the building, and dust/dirt carried over from a construction site can all contribute to lead concentrations in the soil. This can become a health issue if there are children playing around the building, or you plan on performing landscaping.