Building Industry Magazine - March 2011 - (Page 58)

NewsBeat GET CERTIfIED – EPA RRP Inspectors Coming in May BY NATE SEWARD, PE, CIH, LRCIA Black lighting shows students how much lead can be disturbed. Last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the passing of the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule; 40 CFR 745 (also known as RRP), which requires contractors to become certified and work safely around lead paint. Now, enforcement teams are scheduled to perform random violation inspections throughout the Hawaiian islands (except Molokai) this May, according to EPA Region 9 headquarters. Region 9 covers California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii and the Pacific Territories. Federal EPA has been enforcing the lead RRP regulation, which carries some extremely serious consequences. Penalties of the RRP regulation can reach as high $37,500 per violation. Although the RRP regulation went into effect on April 22, 2010, the mistake that most people are making is that they think this law only pertains to the painters. Wrong. The RRP law is intended for anyone who disturbs lead-based paint (LBP) or presumed lead-based paint in pre-1978 properties. The RRP rule requires those that disturb LBP to be certified by an EPA-approved trainer, which requires a one-day training class. Along with the individual certification, contractors, property managers, pest control operators, painters, plumbers, maintenance/ facilities personnel, or anyone doing renovation work will be required to follow a defined set of standards to stay in compliance with the new RRP lead paint law. The new RRP requirements are not as limiting and restrictive as most people think. The EPA’s intention is to force contractors to work safer around lead. Lead is extremely toxic and millions of Americans are still being poisoned from lead dust created during renovation and construction projects. There are a variety of significant health problems associated with lead poisoning. According to EPA, lead poisoning is something that needs to be eliminated, especially since lead poisoning is 100 percent preventable. Since the RRP rule was adopted, there have been questions relating to the levels of enforcement for civil and criminal violations. The EPA answered these questions by recently releasing a document that details the enforcement guidelines for violations of the RRP lead paint regulations. This document is called the LBP consolidated Enforcement Response and Penalty Policy (ERPP). The new ERPP document has defined tables of levels of fines based upon the type of violation, gravity of the violation and guidelines for modification of penalties. Worthy of notation is a section that addresses the ability to pay and continue in business. It appears that the EPA goal is not to put contractors out of business but rather force compliance and levy fines based on actual ability to pay the fines and associated penalties. This is important, and it’s essential that contractors not wait until it’s too late. BI (Nate Seward is the training director of Criterion Environmental Training, an EPA-approved training provider that offers classes in English and Spanish throughout the Western U.S., including the Hawaiian islands. For more information, visit www.theRRPtrainer.com or e-mail Nate Seward at nate@ therrptrainer.com, phone: (805) 644-8347, ext. 101.) Criterion Environmental Training conducted an RRP certification seminar in early February for the Hawaii chapter of the Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc. The class included hands-on training. 58 | BuildiNg iNdustRy | MARCH 2011 http://www.theRRPtrainer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Building Industry Magazine - March 2011

Building Industry - March 2011
Contents
Datebook
Union Names Builder of the Year
Young Brothers Goes Green
GCA Banquet Honors Members
Architects Corner
RevoluSun Expands Services
Kiewit Building Group Relocates
Contracts Awarded
Site Preparation
Spotlight on Success: St. Louis School Learning and Technology Center
Finance, Bonding & Insurance
Hot Topic: Insurance Lawsuit
Guam
Concept to Completion: MACC Yokouchi Family Pavilion and Courtyard
Low Bids
Get RRP Certified

Building Industry Magazine - March 2011