In the next several weeks, you’ll be seeing new print and media advertising sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ad Council on the subject of lead paint and health concerns during remodeling.  New federal regulations will be going into effect on April 22nd that require contractors working in homes built before 1978 to be trained and certified in work practices that protect homeowners and workers from exposure to lead dust and paint chips.

In keeping with our mission statement, we’ve been paying a lot of attention to this subject.  Fresh Start Builders is committed to ongoing compliance with all codes and regulations for our industry, and this law is no exception.  Both Eric and Todd have been trained and certified as Lead Renovators.  Fresh Start Builders has been accredited by EPA as a Certified Renovation Firm.  We will continue to follow safe work practices, and include new requirements for job site safety in our setup and disposal practices as they are instituted.

This new regulation is, in a sense, a game-changer for the remodeling industry.  There are specific requirements for remodelers pertaining to training/certification, and significant penalties for contractors who don’t comply with this law.  At this point, a month away from the law taking effect, only about 10% of the affected contractors are trained and certified.  Thousands of remodelers don’t even know about it, and are more-than-likely not following the work practices that are mandated.  There is no question that bringing untrained and uncertified contractors into your home will raise your level of exposure to lead,  which is why EPA is instituting the regulations and paying for advertising to let you know about it.

This is the first in a series of FSB blogs on this subject.  We’ll be going into greater detail on the subject in the days and weeks ahead, letting you know why lead is a problem, what kind of work practices are required, how the industry is handling the issue, and reporting on updates from manufacturers and government agencies as the info is available.  In the meantime, we welcome your questions, either by email  or phone.  Please check back often for more information.  This is an important issue, and we want you to be informed!