the painted surface
Renovating, Repairing and Repainting a Home Containing Lead Paint
This article is reproduced for online reading from the brochure “The Lead-Safe Guide To Renovate Right” by the EPA. The PDF can be read, printed or downloaded here: Renovate Right.
For Tenants and Families of Children Under Six years of age in Child Care Facilities and Schools
You play an important role ensuring the ultimate safety of your family.
This means properly preparing for the renovation and staying out of the work area (see p. 8).
Federal law requires that contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb painted surfaces in homes built before 1978 and in child care facilities and schools built before 1978, that a child under six years of age visits regularly, to be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.
The law requires anyone hired to renovate, repair, or do painting preparation work on a property built before 1978 to follow the steps described on pages 9 and 10 unless the area where the work will be done contains no lead-based paint.
If you think a worker is not doing what he is supposed to do or is doing something that is unsafe, you should:
- Contact your landlord.
- Call your local health or building department, or
- Call EPA's hotline 1-800-424-LEAD (5323).
If you are concerned about lead hazards left behind after the job is over, you can check the work yourself (see page 10). Next Page
