Firms can’t advertise or perform renovation activities covered by the regulation in homes or child occupied facilities built before 1978 without firm certification.
There are some other details to the program, but rather than bore you with details, we will share the link so you may research on your own (at the end of the article). Many of these guidelines apply to community association living and how associations select their suppliers for capital improvement and renovation projects. The key to ensuring that your property is safe is to first research that your potential contractors are EPA or state certified. One way to quickly identify this certification is to look for the EPA Lead Safe Certified Firm logo on proposals, websites and collateral material from your supplier.
If you happen to be a contractor or a maintenance professional who handles lead based paint, please be aware that there have been amendments to the original rule, so it is good business practice to familiarize yourself with the most up to date information by going to the EPA website.
Keep in mind that this rule not only applies to contractors but to homeowners as well. Should you suspect that there is lead-based paint on your property that you intend to disrupt, it would be prudent to consult with a contractor or maintenance professional that holds the EPA Certification to be safe.
The other side of the coin is Lead Abatement activity. Abatement is a specialized activity designed to address lead in the property. This includes risk assessment and lead based paint removal. This process is an entirely different process than the RRP Rule. In a nutshell, this abatement is the process to remove the lead-based paint. The RRP Rule depicts process in which one uses when lead based paint is disrupted.
So, what happens if your contractor or maintenance professional does not comply with the EPA Lead RRP Rule? The EPA has the authority to inspect properties that are in the process of lead-based paint disruption. Once inspected, the contractor or maintenance professional is required to provide proper certification from the EPA. Failure to comply with this regulation will subject the contractor or maintenance professional to a fine. The dollar amount of the fine depends on the size of the property, so in community living, this could be devastating. Just think of all of the surfaces that contain paint in an association or condo building. Additionally, should this professional have the certification and upon
inspection, fail to comply with the guidelines, the EPA may revoke the certification in addition to a fine.
As part of community association living, there are many components in which homeowners, community managers and suppliers/contractors must familiarize themselves with in order to be compliant with laws, rules and regulations. A good rule of thumb is that when in doubt, start asking questions. The EPA website is a great resource and a place to start getting answers. Also, don’t be afraid to ask your contractor if they are certified. They should be able to provide documentation proving certification. This should be done before any contract or agreement is signed.
Below is a link to the EPA website, a great place to start when doing research or simply educating yourself on the rules, regulations and or processes that affect your community.
https://www.epa.gov/lead
16 | COMMON INTEREST®
A Publication of CAI-Illinois Chapter
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