Lead Abatement Requirements

Certification and Education

• Firms involved in contracts, as well as some of their employees, must be certified in lead-safe work practices. Such practices involve the minimization of lead-paint dust, as well as confining any mess they make to their work areas and not allowing it to be exposed to other areas in the house. As of 2010, the cost of getting such certification and training is $300 per company and $150 per worker.

Education of Residents

• Workers must educate the residents of the house about lead paint, distribute pamphlets about lead paint and also post educational signs at the areas where they are carrying out the work. An owner who is resident in the property involved in the contract could allow workers to opt out of the lead-paint abatement requirements by signing a waiver. The law only allows for such a waiver if there is no child under the age of 6 or a pregnant woman resident in the house.

Other Requirements

• If a resident of the house requires it, workers must test for lead using kits approved by the EPA. Companies should keep records relating to their clients' lead-paint statuses for three years. These rules do not apply to someone working on his own house. It only applies to people who are paying someone else to do the work for them. Companies that do not comply with these EPA lead abatement requirements face penalties that could be as high as $32,500 per day for each violation.