EPA's Lead Safe Renovation, Repair & Painting (RRP) Rule

As of April 22, 2010 When working in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities, Federal Law requires you to:

  • Use lead-safe work practices.
  • Be a "Certified Renovator."
  • Work for a "Certified Renovation Firm."

What types of structures are covered by the rule?

  • Target Housing: Housing constructed prior to 1978, except housing for the elderly or persons with disabilities (unless a child under 6 years resides in or is expected to reside in such housing) and 0-bedroom dwellings.
  • Child-Occupied Facility: Day care, pre-school, kindergarten classroom, or other facility in a building constructed prior to 1978 that is visited regularly by the same child under age 6, on at least two different days within any week, provided that each day's visit lasts at least 3 hours and the combined weekly visits last at least 6 hours, and the combined annual visits last at least 60 hours.

What types of renovation are affected?

Any work performed for pay, including painting and remodeling, that results in the disturbance of painted surfaces in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities. Examples: removal or modification of painted components such as doors; repairing a painted surface or preparing it for repainting by sanding, scraping, burning, or other actions that may generate paint dust; removal of walls, ceilings, and other structures; re-plastering; re-plumbing; weatherization work that disturbs painted surfaces; and window replacement.

What does this mean?

All renovation work in target housing must be conducted by certified firms, certified renovators, and workers who have had on the job training regarding job-specific work practices.

EPA SealFor additional information on the EPA's Lead Safe Renovation, Repair & Painting program visit the U.S. government's EPA website.