EPA Renovation Rights
Federal law requires that some homeowners receive certain information before renovating six square feet or more of painted surfaces in a room for interior projects, or more than twenty square feet of painted surfaces for exterior projects in housing, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978.
Homeowners and tenants: Renovators must give you a pamphlet before starting work.
Child care facilities, including pre-schools and kindergarten classrooms and the families of children under the age of 6 that attend those facilities: Renovators must provide a copy a pamphlet to child care facilities and general renovation information to families whose children attend those facilities.
Also, as of April 2010, Federal Law requires contractors that disturb lead based paint in homes, child care facilities and schools, built before 1978 to be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. Therefore beginning in April 2010, ask to see your contractors certification.
Is your home, your building, or the child care facility your children attend being renovated, repaired, or painted?
Was your home, your building, or the child care facility or school your children under age 6 attend, built before 1978? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, there are a few important things you need to know about lead based paint. This info provides basic facts about lead and information about lead safety when work is being done in your home, your building or child care facility or school your children attend.
Facts about lead:
Lead can affect children' brains and developing nervous systems, causing reduced I Q, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems. Lead is also harm-full to adults.
Lead in dust is the most common way people are exposed to lead. People can also get lead in their bodies from lead in soil or paint chips.
Lead dust is often invisible.
Lead based paint was used in more than 38 million homes until it was banned for residential use in 1978.
Projects that disturb lead based paint can create dust and endanger you and your family. DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU
Who should read this info? This info is for you if you:
Reside in a home built before 1978
Own or operate a child care facility including pre-schools or kindergarten classroom, built before 1978.
Have a child under 6 who attends a child care facility built before 1978.
Are a tenant of a child in a child care facility or school.
The following do not apply to renovate right guidelines...
Abatement projects - Abatement is a set of activities aimed specifically at eliminating lead or lead hazards. EPA has regulations for certification and training of abatement professional. If your goal is to eliminate lead or lead hazards, contact the National Lead Information Center at 1-800 424 LEAD (5323) for more information.
Do it yourself projects - If you plan to do renovation work yourself this document is a good start, but you will need more information to complete the work safely. Call the N.L.I.C. and ask for more information on how to work safely in a home with lead based paint.
Until Contractors are required to be certified, make sure your contractor can explain clearly the details of the job and how the contractor will minimize the lead hazards during the work.
Ask if the contractor is trained to perform lead safe work practices and to see a copy of their training certificate.
Ask them what lead safe methods they will use to set up and perform the job in your home, child care facility or school. Ask if the contractor is aware of the lead renovation rules. For example, contractors are required to provide you with a copy of a pamphlet before beginning work. A sample pre-renovation disclosure form is provided at the back of this pamphlet. Contractors may use this form to make documentation of compliance easier.
Ask for references from at least three recent jobs involving homes built before 1978, and speak to each owner personally.
Disclaimer: the above information is excerpts from the Renovate Right brochure for Families, Child Care Providers and Schools. It should not be considered a substitute for the actual EPA pamphlet which goes into much more detail about lead and safe working practices dealing with lead. To obtain the full document go to www.epa.gov/lead.