Renovation, Repair and Painting of Pre-1978 Residential Buildings and Child Care Facilities

Effective December 2008, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint provide the Renovate Right: Important Lead Hazard Information for Families, Child Care Providers, and Schools pamphlet to owners and residents of residential structures constructed prior to 1978. The new regulations also require contractors to provide the pamphlet to owners of child care facilities and parents/guardians of children under age six that attend facilities built prior to 1978.

Before starting a renovation in residential buildings built before 1978, a contractor or property owner is required to have tenants sign a pre-renovation disclosure form, which indicates that the tenant received the lead hazard information pamphlet. The contractor must also make renovation information available to the parents or guardians of children under age six that attend child care facilities and schools, and to provide to owners and administrators of pre-1978 child care facilities and schools to be renovated a copy of EPA's Renovate Right: Important Lead Hazard Information for Families, Child Care Providers, and Schools pamphlet (English) (Spanish). The second to the last page of the pamphlet (Current Sample Pre-Renovation Form) must be completed and retained by the contractor for record keeping (a minimal of 3 years) prior to the start of any work or renovation.

The rule affects paid renovators who work in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities, including:

• Renovation contractors
• Maintenance workers in multi-family housing
• Painters and other specialty trades

Under the rule, child-occupied facilities are defined as residential, public or commercial buildings where children under age six are present on a regular basis. The requirements apply to renovation, repair or painting activities. The rule does not apply to minor maintenance or repair activities where less than six square feet of lead-based paint is disturbed in a room or where less than 20 square feet of lead-based paint is disturbed on the exterior. Window replacement is not minor maintenance or repair.

Contractors should familiarize themselves with lead safe work practices. Lead safe work practices certification will be mandatory in April of 2010. Until then this office strongly urges contractors to follow these rules as guidelines when doing work in pre-1978 residences and child care facilities.

For more information regarding lead-paint renovation, repair and painting please visit the EPA's website.

If you have concerns that you or a household member has experienced lead poisoning, please contact the local Health Department. For the City of Fredericksburg, the number is (540) 899-4142.