On April 22nd 2010 a new EPA law is going into effect requiring contractors and trade workers to be EPA certified and follow specific work practices for lead containment for all who work on housing and child occupied buildings. We are mainly talking about remodelers, plumbers and painters. Although this doesn't effect Italian Plasterworks directly, the indirect effects will quickly trickle down to everyone in the struggling construction industry.
"A bad economy is not a good excuse to poison children"
- Rebecca Morley, executive director of the National Center for Healthy Housing
I agree that lead dust can cause the following:
1. Brain Damage
2. Central Nervous System Damage
3. Decreased Attention Span
4. Impaired Hearing Loss
5. Reading and Learning Disabilities
6. Reduced IQ Scores
7. Mental Retardation
8. Seizures, Convulsions and Coma
9. Death from over exposure
Maybe I am old fashioned, but I think its best to keep children away from demolition projects period as there are other hazards (solvents,tool, sharp things) that are just as potentially dangerous.
Yes, the lead situation is something to address but there are many ways to skin a cat. I don't think the EPA did a good job in taking the whole tamale into account when this law was drawn up.
Contractors I've spoken to project costs are going to increase as much as 25%. The National Association of Home Builders believes that on an estimate more than $5000 you are looking at $500 to $1,500 increased in costs. On the other hand, the EPA suggests that it will only be $35. $35 won't cover the new space suit and booties let alone the other materials, including possible lab tests, massive amounts of plastic and extra labor hours required. How many projects will be wiped off the table in this 3rd year of struggle due to this increase? Some, I am sure.
Only 14,000 have taken the one day EPA certification course of 236,000 that need to. Are we going to squeeze in these 212,000 in a week or are the 14,000 trained getting all of the work? Are homeowners going to give the work to those not following the guidlines, leaving those who follow the law at another competitive disadvantage? The fine for not complying can exceed more than $37,000 per day.
Most contractors who have taken the one day course complain that the procedures are not even feasible. For one,the system of collecting dust doesn't work. Secondly, workers have to wear plastic booties and stand on top of plastic sheeting causing a "slip and Slide" effect. "Make sure you keep those plastic booties on while you climb that 20 foot ladder its the law now."
Given that the new safety procedures at this point seem unsafe, I think we could have come up with a better system to keep children away from lead dust during renovations. Perhaps a law could require that contractors must give two quotes, the EPA lead quote and the non-EPA quote. Let the consumer decide the how best to handle the risk.
