What is your opinion on being certified to work on older housed where, in the past, lead paint was used? I was in the local building supply house yesterday and picked up information on classes put on by the supply house. There is a cost involved, two different fees totaling $400.00, and your time involved in attending the class.
Wondering if anyone has obtained the certification and what it says you need to do to work safely with lead paint? What is involved, special tools, equipment, processes taken, additional record keeping, red tape and more? What happens if you do not comply? Fines, jail time?
From since the beginning of lead paint to 1978 when I assume it was banned, what health problems have been found in the people living and working on these homes? Who is responsible for these health issues caused by bad paint? What will come of all the other products used in the building industry, how dangerous are they and will we at some point in our future be required to be certified to work with the multitude of plausible problem products incorporated into our homes?
This from the Timber frame Business Council:
National Lumber & Building Dealers Association Asks For Help To Delay EPA Lead Rule
NLBMDA and others urge the U.S. Senate to Help Delay EPA Lead Rule The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association, along with other trade associations and businesses, sent a letter to Sens. Bingaman and Murkowski of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee as well as to Sens. Boxer and Inhofe of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, urging them to contact the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) to delay the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting (LRRP) rule.
Starting on April 22, 2010, renovation work that disturbs more than six square feet on the interior of a home built before 1978 must follow new Lead Safe Work Practices (LSWP) supervised by an EPA certified renovator and performed by an EPA certified renovation firm, as outlined in 40 CFR ยง 745.85.
Currently, EPA has 135 accredited trainers and 13,669 certified renovators nationwide, although its own compliance-needs estimates indicate that it needs at least 200,000 or more certified renovators. Obviously, these numbers are far too insufficient for the millions of renovations carried out annually, even without a substantial retrofit incentive program like HOME STAR. With the April 22, 2010 deadline nearing, it is clear that EPA cannot ensure enough certified renovators will be available for compliance with the LRRP.
If this is something you'd like to take action (one way or the other) contact your Senator through the NLBMDA website by clicking here.
