![]() If a blood test indicates your child has been exposed to lead, get a lead-certified professional to check your home for lead.For more information, check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pamphlet “What Do Parents Need to Know to Protect Their Children?” and other information available at cdc.gov/nceh/lead. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “there is simply no safe level of lead exposure for children.” All children should be screened for lead at ages 1 and 2. To evaluate the risks of lead-based paint in your home, do the following: Checkbook strongly urges anyone who lives in a pre-1978 home to hire only Lead-Safe Certified contractors and demand that workers follow the law when performing work in areas where lead-based paint could be disturbed.Ī good place to start looking for information about lead is The ratings available at will also help you find responsible contractors. Unfortunately, many companies still aren’t doing what they should. Most homeowners are unaware of the law, but all contractors should be aware of their obligations. The law also applies to landlords who renovate rental properties, but it doesn’t apply to DIYers - although you’ll obviously want to do everything you can to protect your kids from exposure to lead-based paint. So even a small painting project or single window replacement is covered by the rule. Companies can achieve certification by applying to the EPA (or an authorized state) and having their workers or supervisors take a course on work practices to minimize exposure to lead during renovation, repair, and painting projects.Įven small projects are covered by the law, which kicks in when more than six square feet of painted surface inside or 20 square feet outside are disturbed. It’s clear that the dust produced by renovation work can be very harmful.īecause of these dangers, in 2008 the EPA issued the Renovation, Repair and Painting (or “RRP”) Rule, which requires contractors working in pre-1978 homes to be Lead-Safe Certified and use special work practices to contain and clean up dust. As long as it’s in good condition, lead-based paint probably isn’t a hazard but scraping and sanding changes that. ![]() Although it’s off the market, millions of homes still contain this potential danger on the walls. In 1978, the federal government banned the use of lead-based paint in homes after long-term studies showed that lead causes severe health problems, especially in children under age 6, damaging their nervous systems even before birth. By Kevin Brasler Puget Sound Consumers’ Checkbook
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