Along with the lead I wish there was a program for framing, roof math, and stairbuilding (along with specifics in other trades...) I've been in a bunch of houses recently (still looking!) And am so discouraged. What were people thinking?

Anecdotal - my wife took the little one to a kids b-day party thius weekend. Most of the housing stock in Burlington has lead in it. 2 of 3 kids have tested positive for higher levels of lead in their system - despite parents who seal up paint and vacuum with HEPA filtered devices. It gets everywhere over time - outside from all the exterior painting that chips and gets into the soil and is then eaten, inside on the windows, radiators, etc..

Are we thinking now Mike?

I wonder about pressure treated wood, a label suggesting gloves and respirator, to build picnic tables to sit and eat at or have kids play on in a playground.

Thanks for sharing your experience, Jim.

Tim

I've never understood PT materials for uses that most DIYrs use them for. They look like crap, weather and age poorly, and leach toxins into you or the ground.

It makes about as much sense to me as bringing a TV into your living space. They can often look like crap, definitely age poorly, are typically built of dangerous materials, and the talking heads leach toxins into your brain (and the advertisers prey on your kids) whenever it is on...



Always thinking Tim.

Half my time is spent cutting new frames, the other half is historic preservation work. Most of what I touch predates the 1978 moratorium by better than a century, (The current project dates to 1795) and of course often involves invading painted surfaces. (Though I never scrape or sand them - One of several reasons I never have and never will own a sander) So the new regs that kicked in on Earth Day are high on my mind...

I have to wonder how the laws of unintended consequence might fall into play. (like subsidizing every crackpot replacement window company by offering tax-credits to replace that hundred year old hand made sash with that argon-filled bugly vinyl thingy with the as yet unknown service life, or the environmental degradation being caused by new mining operations the world over in search of rare metals required for half ton Frankenstein batteries needed to power hybrid and plug-in cars) I've already seen more than once, perfectly sound and sometimes beautifully ornate 19th ca. interior woodwork removed and replaced with crappy clamshell casings and mopboards, simply because it removes the lead (and potential future liability) from the premises while disturbing it as little as possible. The irony is, it is now out there, somewhere in the world, perhaps doing far more harm, with the thousands of other similarly removed pieces in a similar condensed time frame, than had those pieces been left in place till the end of the much more time staggered service lives of the structures that housed them.

Speaking of liability, I also have to wonder (my rates A year ago now, my exploded 1000% so I can't help but) what the actuaries are now calculating in their new reg driven risk assessments and how this might affect my future rates and thusly my ability to do what I do

The cat out'a the bag is never again a pig in a poke, even if those opening the sack don't pause to consider all they are unleashing.

Some links which speak to the lead paint issue and historic preservation -

http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/lbp/hudguidelines/Ch18.pdf

http://www.nps.gov/hps/tps/briefs/brief37.htm

Here, Here. Thanks for this, some great words. Write, Will Truax, Write! Moving on to the links now..

Well put Will. Thanks for the links.

How about generating even more laws for crimes against heritage?

Jim

I did it. I just took the RRP lead paint class with 49 other guys and 1 gal. It was a stunning class with five instructors, lots of lecture and some hands-on practice of prepairing and cleaning a space for lead safety.

I have a background as a volunteer fire fighter with training in hazardous materials operations, but this class was still overwhelming. It requires a paradigm shift from the way I have been working for over two decades.

There is too much to the class to detail it all here but I will give some highlights.

Approximately 900,000 children in the U.S. have elevated lead levels. Children under the age of 6 are most suseptable, but anyone can be poisoned. Workers who wear dusty clothes home and add these clothes to the family wash are constaminating their vehicle(s), house and famlies.

Symptoms of lead poisoning are: high blood pressure, fertility problems, sexual disorders, digestive problems, nerve disorders, memory and concentration problemsl, and/or muscle or joint pain. Lead poisoning is easily mis-diagnosed or overlooked so mention any exposure to your doctor.

Lead in a house is not a hazard until it turns into a dust. One gram of lead dust will contaminate 150 sq. ft. of area. The instructors had a good example of opening a packet of the sweetener sweet-and-low and sprinkled it on the floor representing one gram of paint dust. Windows are the most likely place for lead dust to be concentrated since the sash sliding creates dust.

Disturbance of 6 square feet indoors or 20 sq ft outdoors in "target housing" or "child-occupied facilities" is now illegal, without following safe work practices. Target housing is all pre 1978 housing except elderly housing where children under the age of 6 reside or are expected to reside and "zero bedroom dwellings" such as a studio apartment, hospital, hotel, dormatory, etc.

Normal renovation or repair work is covered by this class. If a building owner asks you to remove lead paint because of the possible hazard, that is called abatement and requires a different license. This is an important distinction to the regulators.

Homeowners can renovate there own dwelling without following the safe practices, also emergency repairs can be made such as to prevent more water damage from storm damage, but when the emergency is over, the rules apply. Homeowners can "opt-out" of following the rules if no children or pregnant women live there. Other conditions apply.

Only one person on the job needs to be certified, but all other employees need specific training to prevent creating or spreading lead dust. Each sub contractor must be certified. Each company must purchase a five-year permit for $300. The individual certification is good for 5 years, then there is a 4 hour refresher class. Copies of the certifications need to be on the job site.

The fine is up to $37,500 per violation or imprisonment or both.

There is a lot more to the story and some states have made additional requirements and additional state certifications.

Here is a list of tools you need:
*spray bottle (and water source) to wet surfaces (keeps the dust down)
*HEPA rated vacuume (not just a vacuume with a HEPA filter) with a beater bar if you need to clean carpet.
*shrouded power tools to collect the dust with the vacuume
*PPE- booties, single spun, triple spun, or tyvek suits that fit your crew, disposable painter's hats, resperator and filters, disposable gloves, safety glasses.
*doctor's permission to use a resperator and annual physical exam for employees
*trash bags
*wet wipes
*tacky pads or floor runners
*lots of polyethelene sheeting and duct tape, maybe some painters tape so the duct tape does not damage the finish.
*stapler/ staples
*lumber to create enclosures if needed and a burm and perimiter warning "fence" if outdoors.
*signs in the language of the persons dwelling in the building
*orange cones or caution tape
*lead safety booklets to give the homeowners free of charge
*lead test kits
*a means of disposal such as a dumpster and or a "secure place" to store waste until disposed of.
*cleaning supplies- disposable mop, wipes, non-oily soap, etc.
*pollution insurance?
*Workman's comp insurance?
*a helper to set up barriers and doff (take off) protective clothing
*file folders and storage system to keep records of signed warnings, job report, and other records you may need to defend yourself(to be kept for 3 years by EPA rules or 7 years if you want to be extra cautious by TORT law)
*"Steps guide" to use in training your employees

Working outdoors is difficult with wind or rain and covering obsatcles and uneven ground. Good luck with this one. Rainwater or power-washing water must be captured and disposed of in a toilet, it the local waste treatment plant allows this.

If Federal money is involved such as a house with a Farmers Home loan, VA loan, HUD project, or subsidized housing, more stringent HUD rules apply, such as work must stop if the wind exceeds 20 mph. OSHA also has it's own lead work rules.

Don't forget to clean your tools before going to another area or job.

For an individual contractor such as myself I estimate about $1,000 cash expense to get set up initally and then a significant amount of time in planning, training and prepairing/cleaning, and recordkeeping for each job and disposable materials such as protective equipment and polyethlene.

Take the class or you will poison yourself or others.

Jim

Jim, what are the question marks for with the insurances?

Did they bring up demolition? And what will happen in that area, specifically demolition by machine? There will not be people living in the building after that but what about the surrounding dwellings?

This may be the push I need to move into alternative building. I do not see myself going through the process outlined. I don't do a lot with older homes as it is. Now it will be for sure. The job will go to others who are in step with the process.

No more reusing old windows, and I was just getting started.

It was just pointed out the other day not to eat the wild straw berries that grow along the edge of the highway, due to the lead, contributed from years of lead in the gasoline, it is still in the soil. It makes me wonder about all the other crops which are grown along busy highways, blueberries, corn, potatoes and many more.

Tim

Hi Tim;

The question marks mean that polution insurance is not required by the EPA and is not a normal coverage for liability insurance so if you worry about these things you should consider getting pollution coverage. A classmate insisted that we all needed workman's comp, but I am not sure that is true.

Demolition of an unattached building does not require you to follow the lead-safe practices. I am uncertain about demolishing attached buildings. Tearing an attached building down without leavin any lead dust residue (less than 40 micrograms per sq. cm or whatever the units are) would be very tricky. I am worried this will encourage distruction of historic buildings.

The trouble with lead is that it is an element and never breaks down or goes away. I think it may "bioaccumulate".

I forgot to mention that lead-paint is a misnomer, some of the highest readings of lead content have been found in varnish and other clear, non-paint finishes. They are not worried about lead flashing because it does not turn to dust.

Also the use of an open flame (torch) and heat gun over 1,100 degrees f. are completely outlawed. These temperatures vaporize lead which is much worse than lead dust. Never use these tools on lead.

There are discussions about this subject at http://historichomeworks.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1413&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

and http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=176232613277&topic=11222

This rule will affect everyone.

Jim