Lead Safety Certification Required For Certain Residential Projects
The Lead Safety Certification for home renovation, repair and painting is a new requirement of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for spring 2010. It is imperative if a home is built before 1978, to use a painting contractor who is certified for Lead RRP (Renovation, Repair and Painting). The Commodore Showflat
This certification ensures that your paint contractor is educated and capable of testing your home for lead, quoting lead removal, and safely painting homes built before 1978. Those certified are able to test for lead and then proceed to prepare, clean and paint the home properly. As a certified RRP for homes with lead present, these painting contractors will use proper containment procedures outlined by the EPA.
Since it is your home, it is important to answer one crucial question: Why is lead dangerous to your family? Lead is very dangerous to children, and can cause damage to the brain and nervous system. Pregnant women are also in danger of lead paint causing damage to their unborn child. Adults can be affected by having high blood pressure, and different types of physical fatigue. Lead exposure can cause permanent damage and should be properly prevented by using a certified paint contractor.
Certified contractors have been taught the correct way to test for possible lead paint throughout the home. Surfaces that are suspected to have lead paint need to be scratched to the bare wood, ¼", and the testing device should be used over the area to check for traces of lead. Once the test is complete, a formal lead sheet will be provided to the homeowner outlining any problem areas. If lead is present, the homeowner must sign the form acknowledging the issue before the paint contractor is able to move forward with starting the painting project.
In order to contain lead on an interior painting jobsite, the painter should cover everything in the room; including all vents, windows and doors that may be open, as well as taping all covers to the floor and walls to ensure no saturation into other areas. Containing lead on an exterior painting jobsite requires plastic sheets be spread out and taped to the wall, along with a barrier set up around the work area.
Comments