The EPA’s lead paint requirements have changed the way building professionals provide renovation, repair, and painting services. For one, the new lead paint requirements make it mandatory for renovators to obtain EPA certification after satisfying the training component in lead safe working practices. Second, the lead requirements include specific steps renovators must take before they even start working, including disclosure to tenants of the risks associated with lead paint exposure. By understanding the intricacies of the lead paint legislation, you can better protect yourself and your business from the fines the EPA has set for violators of the lead paint regulations.
Before you can provide renovation services in pre-1978 buildings, you must complete a lead training course, which is required in order to obtain your EPA certification. While an EPA-accredited training provider might offer online lead training courses, you will still need to attend in-person field training before taking the lead certification exam. The combination of classroom and interactive training is meant to offer students a realistic view of how to apply lead safe practices to actual renovation activities, including sanding and drilling, from which lead paint exposure typically arises.
Lead paint requirements impact remodeling projects by making them longer and more expensive due to the additional steps required to document disclosure and adherence to lead safety rules and the specialized tools needed to verify the safety of the renovation work. Improved lead safety can lengthen project timelines because renovators will need to test sites for lead paint, meaning they will need to purchase lead testing kits and wait for the results before continuing work. Lead certified renovators will have to seal off their working areas using mandated drop cloths and barriers, and they will also need to use HEPA vacuums to clean up lead paint chips that can scatter during the renovation.
While homeowners will have to pay more for lead safe renovations, renovators can earn a profit by obtaining EPA certification, which is essential to working as a lead certified renovator.