Lead Safety for Renovation, Repair, and Painting
Adapted from the Joint EPA-HUD Curriculum (Student Manual: EPA-740-R-09-002)
Traditional renovation work can create significant dust-lead hazards if lead-based paint is disturbed.
The leaded dust generated by traditional renovation work can cause lead poisoning in children. It can also poison pregnant women, yourself and other workers and even pets. Practical changes in work practices can minimize and contain dust. The use of lead-safe work practices makes the job safer and reduces your liability exposure.
EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting Final Rule (40 CFR 745) requires that renovations conducted for compensation, must be performed by Certified Firms using Certified Renovators. Renovation firms that wish to work in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities must apply to EPA and pay a fee in order to become certified. Renovators seeking to become Certified Renovators must successfully complete an EPA-accredited renovator course or a course accredited by an EPA authorized State or Tribe.
The content on this website is adapted from the EPA model course for Certified Renovators. The content is a resource on how to comply with the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule and the HUD Lead Safe Housing Rule, and how to perform lead-safe work practices safely and effectively.
Learning Modules: Lead-Safe Renovation, Repair, and Painting
What do you need to know about lead safe work practices?
Why should I be concerned about lead paint? Teaches the health problems related to lead, why lead is a problem you need to deal with, and who is put at risk if renovations are not handled correctly.
Regulations: Teaches what EPA and HUD rules require of Certified Firms and Certified Renovators.
Before Beginning Work: Teaches how to determine if lead-based paint affects your work, and how to educate owners and residents in target housing, or owners and adult representatives in child-occupied facilities about how the work will affect lead in their property. This module also discusses how to plan the work so that it is lead safe.
Contain Dust During Work: Teaches how to properly set up the work area so that dust and debris created by your work do not contaminate the property and leave behind lead dust.
During the Work: Teaches how to work in a lead-safe manner and what practices are prohibited by the EPA and/or HUD rules; provides information on personal protective equipment.
Cleaning Activities and Checking Your Work: Teaches how to effectively clean up dust generated by the work performed in the home or child-occupied facility, and teaches Certified Renovators how to conduct a cleaning verification. This section also contains information about how to dispose of renovation waste.
Recordkeeping: Teaches the requirements in the EPA and HUD Rules for creating and maintaining documentation of the work.
Training Non-Certified Colleagues: Teaches the Certified Renovator how to train non-certified renovation workers in lead safe practices while on the job.