As of April 22, 2010 , homes and multi-family buildings that were built before 1978 that are being remodeled in a fashion that impacts painted surfaces,  must  be tested for Lead Paint.  Testing must also be perfomed by an EPA approved “Certified Renovator” who works for ”Certified Firm.”  You could imagine that this has affected us as most of our jobs are on older homes that displace large amounts of paint.  We have been certified by the EPA and are abiding by all lead safe practices.  Now why is this important to you,

  

Health Hazard 

The danger to the health of people and especially our children from ingesting lead has been a medical fact for decades! Lead paint was banned from use in consumer products in 1978. Historically lead was used as an additive to paint to improve its durability and drying time.  We did not realize that ingesting or inhaling lead, in the form of paint chips or dust, could be harmful especially to young children. Prior to 1978 lead paint was in common use in houses and multi-family buildings. It is estimated that 35 percent of the housing in New York was built before 1978. 

   

Lead-safe Work Practices 

Lead-safe work practices are mandatory if lead paint is found in the work area. A lead-safe work practice requires the use of specialized clothing, equipment, procedures and clearance testing to properly perform and finalize the work. Proper procedures will reduce the risk of dust arising from the disturbance of the lead paint.  Only EPA registered Contractors are allowed to perform this work and only Certified Renovators with specially trained crews can perform lead safe work practices. 

Cost 

Testing adds expense and the use of lead-safe work practices will increase the time and costs incurred by contractors working to comply with regulations.  You can expect the cost of these extra safety measures to be passed on to the homeowner in the form of an LSWP Fee (Lead Safe Work Practice Fee).  Depending on the size and paint impact caused by the project these fees could add hundreds to thousands of dollars to the cost of your project.  Project time frames will also be extended. 

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