Prutting Employee Evan Cronly recently completed training for the EPA's Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program. This training course was conducted for renovators, remodelers, painters and other tradespersons performing activities that my disturb lead or create a lead hazard in order to satisfy the requirements set forth in the US EPA RRP program. Evan's notes include:
- The rules apply to any house built before 1978. Some municipalities, like Greenwich, require this certification to pull a permit.
- We are responsible for testing the property for lead paint prior to any demolition, interior or exterior. This is required whether or not the town asks for our certification. We can perform the tests, and they are quick and inexpensive.
- We are required to give the homeowner a brochure on the dangers of lead paint whether or not we find any, and they must sign a declaration of receipt.
- If lead paint is found, we can handle most of the remediation in-house. We do not need an abatement contractor for most situations.
- We should be vigilant about testing even the smallest jobs. The EPA threshold for lead contamination is extremely low. The paint chips generated by prying off the casing on one window is enough to “contaminate” several hundred square feet.
- The fines for non-compliance can be extremely high. As in, tens of thousands of dollars per day for willful non-compliance. Most common infractions are failure to test for lead paint, and failure to notify the homeowner.
Feel free to call with any questions. We'd be happy to answer them.
