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EPA Lead-Based Paint Renovation Certification
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has revised its Lead-Based Paint Renovation and Repair Regulations and now requires contractors, property owners, management companies, and landlords to implement lead-safe work practices. Beginning April 22, 2010, paid contractors and maintenance professionals working in pre-1978 housing must be certified lead-based paint renovators.
NationWide Local Contractors is offering the mandatory EPA-accredited training course in Spanish & English that will certify workers as required under the new law for anyone who disturbs possible lead-coated surfaces during repair or renovation of pre-1978 housing.
Additionally, any company or landlord that employs workers who perform tasks covered by this rule must be accredited, for example must be registered as a Certified Renovation Firm. Individual property owners or landlords performing renovations or repairs on pre-1978 housing are required to become certified renovators as well register as a Certified Renovation Firm to be in compliance with federal law.
How many employees are required to be “Certified Renovators” in order for a company to be an EPA Certified Renovation Firm? Given that a “certified renovator” must be present during set up and clean-up activities as well as have direct supervision of all activities that disturb possible lead-coated surfaces during repair of pre-1978 housing, the answer as to how many employees should be “certified renovators” is directly related to the number of projects you may be working on simultaneously.
Given EPA’s increased enforcement activities, which include the revocation of a certification for failing to adhere to lead-safe supervision, NW Local Contractors recommends that property owners, management companies and landlords who employ maintenance personnel insure that a significant proportion of their maintenance staff be “Certified Renovators”.
The following are exceptions to the new rules:
- Housing built in 1978 or later
- Housing for elderly or disabled persons, unless children under 6
live in home or are expected to live there.
- Zero-bedroom dwellings (studio apartments, dorms, etc.)
- Housing or components declared lead-free by a Certified Inspector
or Risk Assessor.
- Minor repair and maintenance activities that disturb 6 square feet
or less of paint per room inside, or 20 square feet or less on the
exterior of a home or building. Note: minor repair and maintenance
activities do not include window replacement and projects
involving demolition or prohibited practices.
The Certification Course
The course is a one-day (eight-hour) class that explains how to comply with EPA’s Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule. Subjects that will be covered include: health effect, regulations, lead safe work practices, containment, cleaning and record keeping. The RRP class will be conducted in accordance with the EPA accredited model course in a manner that each student is able to understand with little or no knowledge of lead-based paint. The course will be taught by an Accredited EPA Certified Instructor. All the necessary documentation will be provided including course completion forms. Additionally, the instructor will take a photograph of the student which must be forwarded to EPA. This information will be used by EPA to provide the certificate and/or the EPA card that verifies the participant is a Certified Renovator. The certification is valid for five years.
There are strict time requirements for the course. The class is required to be 8 hours in duration. In order to comply, class will begin promptly at 9:00 am and will go until 5:00 pm with one hour for lunch. We ask that you arrive 15 minutes before the start of class to fill out registration forms. The class must start exactly at the end of the one hour lunch break.
Class fee is $ 219.00 when registering in advance online or paying by phone. If paying at the door the class fee is $249 if there is space available. Refreshments and lunch are included Classes begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at 5:00 p.m. The full-day RRP Training Course includes Class Manual, Course work, Hands-on Workshop, End-of-day exam, and Certification photo ID.
This description is provided from the EPA web site
EPA RRP en Español
La siguiente descripción de la regla de plomo (RRP) fue escrita por la EPA:
Que significa el reglamento RRP?
La Regla de Renovación, Reparación y Pintura a Base de Plomo
(Lead-Based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting – RRP)
Es un reglamento normativo federal que entro en vigencia el 22 de Abril de 2010 y afecta a todos los contratistas que alteren superficies que podrían contener plomo en casas, escuelas o guarderías infantiles construidas antes de 1978.
• Durante la clase aprenderás como hacer una contención para poder minimizar la generación de polvo y como realizar la limpieza requerida por la EPA al final de tu trabajo.
• Aprenderás cuales son las formas administrativas y registros requeridos para entregar antes de la renovación, durante y después de cada proyecto con sujeción a la norma.
• Los contratistas tendrán que asistir a una clase de 8 horas desarrollada por EPA en colaboración con HUD para aprender a trabajar de una manera segura con el plomo. La certificación tanto para empresas como empleados será válida por cinco años.
QUIÉNES DEBEN ESTAR CERTIFICADOS?
• Contratistas (dueños y empleados) que trabajen en renovaciones, electricistas, plomeros, personal de mantenimiento, especialistas en calefacción y aire acondicionado, pintores y contratistas que hagan trabajos de el interior o exterior en el cual alteren más de seis pies cuadrados de pintura con plomo en el interior o mas de 20 pies cuadrados en el exterior de casas, escuelas y guarderías infantiles, así como otros lugares construidos antes de 1978 donde los niños pasan tiempo.
• Cuántas personas de mi empresa deben estar certificadas? Se debe asignar a un “Renovador Certificado” para que esté presente en cada proyecto y asegurar que se apliquen las prácticas laborales seguras cuando se trabaje con plomo durante el proyecto. Únicamente el Renovador Certificado estará autorizado a ejercer ciertas prácticas de este reglamento.
POR QUÉ DEBO TENER ESTA CERTIFICACION?
1. Evita el riesgo de multas gubernamentales y demandas por responsabilidad civil:
El no contar con la debida certificación y no acatarse a las prácticas aprobadas, usted y su empresa se arriesgan a multas de $37,500 por cada infracción y posibles demandas judiciales.
2. Protege tu salud y la de tus empleados y clientes: El polvo que proveniente de las renovaciones, las reparaciones y la pintura es nocivo para la salud y al inhalarse o ingerirlo puede causar daño irreversible en niños y adultos.
3. Podrás obtener una ventaja competitiva: La certificación te destaca de los demás y te acredita como un contratista que está en reglamento con esta práctica.
