New Rules for Lead Paint

One of the reasons we didn't see Mr. Contractor very much last week was because he was in class learning about how to manage working on older homes that might have lead paint. Some of you may have read in the Gainesville Sun about the new law that went into effect for homes built before 1978. See the article here.

"As of April 22, all contractors working in homes or schools built before lead paint was banned in 1978 must be trained as certified renovators in accordance with the Lead Paint: Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, according to Dawn Harris, a spokeswoman for the Southeast Region."

Contractors who work on pre-1978 homes must be trained, certified and follow the EPA guidelines for mitigating lead poisoning or face fines up to $37,500 per day.

Apparently, there had been an exemption that allowed homeowners to opt out if they certified there were no children or pregnant women in the home. Some public interest groups fought this and hence, the loophole has been removed.

Our take - the rule is probably a good one - not only for the homeowners safety but for the construction workers' health.