|
|
|
|
|
|
Dear Contractor Association:
Less than 100 days remain until your members will be required to be trained, certified, and otherwise
comply with EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) regulation. This regulation affects
a wide range of contracting firms, including renovators, painters, electricians, plumbers,
maintenance firms, and more. Because the next few months are critical, I hope that we can count on
you to help us get the word out.
By April 2010, all firms doing work in pre-1978 housing or child-occupied facilities must:
- be lead-safe certified by EPA, - employ supervisory certified renovators who have
successfully completed an EPA-accredited one-day training course, use only trained workers who have received specific on-the-job training, and - use specified lead-safe work practices and provide designated educational material.
BOTH individual “renovators” and contracting firms MUST be EPA-certified. Even contractors with
previous lead abatement training must be trained and certified under this new program. This new
program will allow your members to help reduce childhood lead poisoning by working lead-safe.
Contractors who fail to comply will risk penalties of up to $37,500 per day as well as potential
private lawsuits.
Firm certification
Firm certification is easy and straightforward – your members need only submit a short application,
and submit it with fee to EPA. The form, and associated material, is available on EPA’s website
at http://epa.gov/lead/pubs/toolkits.htm#renovator. Your members should complete and submit this form
without delay.
Hundreds of firms have already been certified. They will be able advertise that they are certified
by EPA under the RRP program, and will also be given rights to use EPA’s new “Lead-Safe Certified
Firm” logo which we will begin publicizing later this month.
Firms who fail to get trained and certified could face business risks for their companies and health
risks for their employees and clients. EPA has authority to fine companies who fail to comply up
to $37,500 per day.
Individual training and certification
Individual certification is also easy. It requires only successful completion of a one-day accredited
training course; there is no additional fee to EPA. Over 120 training firms (see http://epa.gov/lead/pubs/trainingproviders.htm) have already been accredited to provide the
specialized, one-day RRP training. Certification for individual “renovators” is automatic upon
successful completion of training.
We expect training classes to begin to fill up soon. Your members should register for training
now to avoid a rush and potential delays leading to non-compliance.
Thousands of individual renovators across the country have already taken this course and have
become EPA-certified renovators. These individuals learned the specific work practices
that are needed to protect themselves and their clients from lead contamination, and to allow them
and their firm to work legally.
Role for associations
Your organization can play a leading role in RRP implementation and be regarded as a trusted source
of critical information by making this information accessible to your members. I ask you to:
- Provide easy-to-use information to your members via newsletters, magazines, e-mail alerts, and
more. Feel free to use information in this letter and on our website.
- Consider offering certification training for your members at meetings, conferences, and trade shows.
This is a tangible benefit to your members, which will make it easy for them to comply with these
regulations. If you are interested in arranging for this training, please check the above list of
accredited trainers, which is updated regularly.
- Become a leading spokesperson on the ease and benefits of working lead-safe.
If you have questions about the RRP rule or the certification process, you can visit EPA’s web site
at www.epa.gov/lead or call the National Lead Information Center (NLIC) at 1-800-424-LEAD [5323].
You can also read about how to comply in EPA’s Small Entity Compliance Guide to Renovate Right
www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/sbcomplianceguide.pdf).
I hope that you will join me in publicizing this new program and encouraging your members to apply
for certification, attend an accredited training course, and come into full compliance. I look forward to having your help in continuing to combat childhood lead poisoning.
Sincerely,
Michelle Price, Chief
Lead, Heavy Metals and
Inorganics Branch
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|