Lead paint

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress...c!OpenDocument

College Works Painting pays $32,508 EPA penalty for failing to inform homeowners or residents of possible lead hazards


Release date: 04/06/2011
Contact Information: Barbara Ross, EPA Lead Coordinator, (206) 553-1985, ross.barbara@epa.gov Tony Brown, EPA Public Affairs, (206) 553-1203, brown.anthony@epa.gov


(Seattle – April 6, 2011) College Works Painting, a company operating in Oregon, has agreed to pay $32,508 penalty for alleged violations of the federal pre-renovation rule. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency alleged that the Irvine, California based company violated the federal pre-renovation rule while renovating nine properties in Portland, McMinnville, and Hillsboro, Oregon.

The federal Pre-Renovation Education Rule requires painters, contractors, carpenters, property-management companies and others involved in remodeling or renovation of pre-1978 housing to provide home owners and occupants with an EPA Renovate Right lead hazard information pamphlet. In 1978 lead was banned from paint used for housing.

This pamphlet educates home owners or occupants on how to minimize exposure to hazardous lead dust that is often generated during sanding, cutting, demolition or other renovation activities. The pamphlet also provides resources for more information about lead and minimizing lead hazards.

The violations in this case took place during renovation work done in 2008.

College Works failed to establish and maintain records necessary to demonstrate compliance with Toxic Substances Control Act regulations, according to the EPA. College Works has corrected the violations and is now in compliance with EPA’s Pre-Renovation Education Rule.

“Families have a right to know about possible lead health hazards around the home,” said Rick Albright, Director of EPA’s Office of Air, Waste and Toxics in Seattle. “By reading the Renovate Right pamphlet families can learn how to avoid hazardous lead dust during renovations.”

Lead-based paint can be on walls, ceilings, woodwork, windows, or even floors. When lead-based paint on these surfaces is chipped, sanded, or scraped, it breaks into tiny, barely visible pieces that children can swallow or inhale. Even small repair and renovation jobs, including repainting projects, can create enough lead dust and chips to harm children.

Lead poisoning is a silent disease that can cause serious health consequences for children because of its detrimental effects on both physical and mental development. Nearly one million children in the country are affected by elevated lead levels.

For copies of the Federal pamphlet, Renovate Right, the Federal Rule, or information on the hazards of lead paint, call 1-800-424-LEAD or via the Internet at: www.epa.gov/lead.

[Kate Tarasenko]

InterNACHI and the EPA Team Up to Monitor Lead Safety

Take InterNACHI's EPA-certified Lead Safety for Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) course.

Read InterNACHI's article on Lead Facts for Inspectors.

[Roy D. Cooke, Sr]

Thanks Kate great reminder ... Roy

[Joseph Hagarty, CMI]

Someone did not like the paint job...
or
anther contractor turned him in....

The Lead Legislation did not provide anything related to enforcement.
They only review when receiving a complaint.

[mstankiewicz]

There has to be more to this story. The list could be very long as to what happened. I would mainly suspect someone became sick and there blood test found high lead.
One thing for sure, never disturb lead when children are present. The whole concept of lead safety boils down to containment.

There are procedures and training required when dealing with lead paint. There is paper work involved.

All InterNACHI should make sure they take the InterNACHI lead class. You will learn a lot. Lead safety is the Law. Its free. In my location the basic course starts at almost $300.00.

The next step for training at InterNachi pertaining to Lead Training should be Lead Testing, Lead Inspection and Lead Investigator courses. Add that to your ancillary services.

Renovate Right, Its the Law.

[Joseph Hagarty, CMI]

Originally Posted by mstankiewicz

There has to be more to this story. The list could be very long as to what happened.

Agreed

Originally Posted by mstankiewicz

I would mainly suspect someone became sick and there blood test found high lead.

unlikely.

Originally Posted by mstankiewicz

In my location the basic course starts at almost $300.00.

Exactly,
the legislation was more about mandating education
of Contractors (with a component to repeat their classes)
for the Benefit (Special Interest) of Education Providers.
No monies were appropriated for Education of Consumers of the Hazard....