SEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Chemical Safety
and Pollution Prevention
(7404T)
EPA-740-F-11-001
September 2011
FACT SHEET
Post-Disaster Renovations and
Lead-Based Paint
What is EPA's
Renovation,
Repair and
Painting (RRP)
Rule?
Contractors
performing
renovation, repair
and painting
projects that disturb
more than six
square feet of
painted surfaces in
homes and child-
occupied facilities
(including day care
centers and schools)
built before 1978
must, among other
things, be certified
and follow lead-safe
work practices.
Federal law requires
that individuals
receive certain
information, such as
EPA's Renovate
Right brochure,
before starting
work.
Natural disasters, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes or floods,
often result in the need for renovations to damaged homes and other
structures. When common renovation activities like sanding, cutting, and
demolition occur in structures that contain lead-based paint, such
activities create lead-based paint hazards, including lead-contaminated
dust. Lead-based paint hazards are harmful to both adults and children,
but particularly pregnant women and children under age six.
To protect against health risks, EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting
(RRP) Rule is designed to minimize exposure to lead-based paint hazards.
Under this Rule, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting
projects that disturb painted surfaces in homes and child-occupied facilities
(including day care centers and schools), built before 1978, must, among
other things, be certified and follow lead-safe work practices. For
complete information about the RRP Rule and its requirements, go to:
www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm#requirements.
To ensure that property owners and occupants are able to act quickly to
preserve their homes and property in the wake of disasters, the RRP Rule
includes an emergency provision exempting firms from certain
requirements. See 40 CFR 745.82(b). Emergency renovations are defined
as renovation activities that were not planned but result from a sudden,
unexpected event that, if not immediately attended to, present a safety or
public health hazard, or threaten equipment and/or property with
significant damage. See the RRP Frequent Questions (FQ), #23002-
32367, available at:
http://toxics.supportportal.co m/ics/support/splash.asp?deptID=23019.
Under the emergency provision of the RRP Rule, contractors performing
activities that are immediately necessary to protect personal property and
public health need not be RRP trained or certified and are exempt from the
following RRP Rule requirements: information distribution, posting warning
signs at the renovation site, containment of dust, and waste handling.
Firms are NOT exempt from the RRP Rule's requirements related to
cleaning, cleaning verification, and recordkeeping. Further, the exemption
applies only to the extent necessary to respond to the emergency. Once
the portion of the renovation that addresses the source of the emergency
is completed, the remaining activities are subject to all requirements of
the RRP Rule.
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SEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Chemical Safety
and Pollution Prevention
(7404T)
EPA-740-F-11-001
September 2011
FACT SHEET
How do I find a list of
certified renovation
firms in my area?
To search an online
directory of certified
renovation firms, go to
www.epa.gov/getleadsafe.
You can also contact the
National Lead Information
Center, 1-800-424-LEAD
(5323).
What if I have a
question about the RRP
Rule that is not
answered in this fact
sheet?
Call the National Lead
Information Center at
1-800-424-LEAD (5323).
My home has been severely damaged and will require extensive
renovations. Does the RRP Rule apply?
The RRP Rule does not apply to an activity that demolishes and rebuilds a
structure to a point where it is effectively new construction. Thus, in pre-
1978 homes and child-occupied facilities where all interior and exterior
painted surfaces (including windows) are removed and replaced, the
provisions of the RRP Rule would not apply. Activities involving the
removal and replacement of only some interior and exterior painted
surfaces would still be covered under the RRP Rule. For more information,
see the Freguent
Questions (FQs 23002-
18426 and 23002-23415)
on our website at:
http: //epa .gov/lead/pubs
/rrp-fag.pdf.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO HOMEOWNERS
If you hire a contractor to perform renovation work on your pre-
1978 home, you should be aware that, generally, your hired professional
must be RRP-certified and observe the reguirements of the RRP Rule.
However, if the circumstances necessitate an emergency renovation as
defined above, the professional need not comply with certain reguirements
of the RRP Rule as described earlier — but only to the extent necessary to
respond to the emergency.
The RRP Rule does not impose requirements on a homeowner
performing work on an owner-occupied residence. However, EPA
encourages homeowners to hire certified professionals that have received
reguired training on lead-safe work practices to prevent lead
contamination. Homeowners that choose to perform renovation work
themselves should take steps to contain the work area, minimize dust and
clean up thoroughly. To learn how to perform renovation work safely,
contact the National Lead Information Center, 1-800-424-LEAD (5323).
What steps should homeowners take to protect themselves and their families from
exposure to lead dust if they plan on doing their own renovations?
Contain the work area so that dust does not escape from the area. Cover floors and furniture that
cannot be moved with heavy-duty plastic and tape, and seal off doors and heating and cooling system
vents.
Keep children, pregnant women, and pets out of the work area at all times.
Minimize dust during the project by using technigues that generate less dust, such as wet sanding or
scraping, or using sanders or grinders that have HEPA vacuum attachments which capture the dust
that is generated.
Clean up thoroughly by using a HEPA vacuum and wet wiping to clean up dust and debris on surfaces.
Mop floors with plenty of rinse water before removing plastic from doors, windows, and vents.
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