What’s This New Lead Paint Rule

Blue Ridge Home Improvement helps to educate the public about the EPA’s new federal Renovate, Repair & Painting (RRP) Rule

Every year millions of children are exposed to dangerous amounts of lead, which if ingested or inhaled, can lead to serious developmental problems. Major sources of lead exposure among U.S. children are lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust found in residential housing.

Despite the continued presence of lead in the environment, lead poisoning is entirely preventable. That’s why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed a new federal rule to help renovators contain hazardous lead dust. The new rule requires anyone who disturbs lead paint in homes built before 1978 to acquire training and certification for lead-safe work practices.

But what does the new EPA rule mean for homeowners? Blue Ridge Home Improvement in Blacksburg is helping to answer that question. As a leader in the remodeling industry for over 30 years and the first remodeling company in the New River Valley to have undergone the necessary training to become EPA Lead-Safe Certified, President and Remodeling Consultant Tim Lawrence, CAPS, CGR, GMB knows a thing or two about risks and prevention of lead paint exposure and had this to say about the new rule.

“It will impact virtually every renovation, repair, or painting job on housing built before 1978,” Lawrence said, “and will affect builders, painters, plumbers, electricians and anyone whose works disturbs paint in these homes.”

The EPA rule lists prohibited work practices, including open-torch burning and using high-heat guns and high-speed equipment such as grinders and sanders unless equipped with a HEPA filter. It also requires a cleaning inspection after the work is completed.

Additionally, the rule establishes required lead-safe work practices, including sharing a copy of Renovate Right with the home owner, posting warning signs for occupants and visitors, using disposable plastic drop cloths to isolate the work area, thorough clean-up using HEPA vacuums and wet washing and individual EPA Lead-Safe certification.

In order to further educate the public about the new lead paint rule, on October 5 Tim Lawrence will hold an educational workshop at the YMCA in Blacksburg focused on how the new rule will affect homeowners as well as health problems associated with lead poisoning and ways to ensure that your home and family are protected.

To learn more about the new EPA Lead–Safe Rule and what it means for you, register for the BRHI’s upcoming EPA Lead-Safe class at www.blueridgehi.com.