Operaciones y saldos con partes relacionadas a) Operaciones con la administración

Banning unsafe work practices and requiring basic safeguards for remodeling and paint repair work are key to preventing childhood lead poisoning in older housing. Banning unsafe methods of removing paint will sharply reduce the amount of lead contaminated dust that would otherwise be generated. The unsafe methods that should be prohibited include: dry sanding or scraping; open flame burning; operating a heat gun above 1100 degrees; machine sanding without a HEPA attachment; and stripping in poorly ventilated areas using volatile strippers on surfaces containing lead-based paint. Requiring precautions such as work area containment and careful post-work cleaning will prevent the dispersal of any lead-contaminated dust that might be generated.

When coupled with occupant protection activities, adherence to lead-safe work practices for routine remodeling and repair work can help prevent children’s exposure to lead dust hazards.

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Immediate/Direct Results: Homes that are being remodeled, repaired, or repainted are less likely to pose lead dust hazards if contractors refrain from unsafe work methods that generate lead dust and follow basic

precautions while performing work that disturbs paint in older homes.

Public Health Benefits: Following lead-safe work practices will materially reduce risks to children living in older homes that are undergoing repairs or renovation. In many areas, such as New England, up to 20% of lead poisoning cases can be attributed to unsafe remodeling or renovation activities.

Other Indirect/Collateral Benefits: A requirement for using lead-safe work practices would also reduce exposure of workers, and potentially their children, to dangerous levels of lead dust.

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A requirement for using lead-safe work practices could be implemented statewide or at the county or city level.

Similar requirements already apply to all remodeling, rehab, and paint repair projects in HUD-assisted housing and properties rehabilitated using HUD funds.

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Staff Requirements: Health and Housing Department staff, supported by community and advocacy organizations, would have to devote time to inform legislative efforts to enact lead-safe work practices requirements.

Other resource requirements: N/A

Institutional Capacity Required: To foster contractor and worker capacity and increase compliance, public agencies should offer free or low-cost training in lead-safe work practices, adapting state-of-the-art curriculum (notably the 5.5 hour training course developed by HUD and EPA in 2003) to cover any additional state or local requirements. Training facilities, such as community colleges and vocational technical programs, should also be encouraged to offer training in lead-safe work practices.

Lead Safety and Healthy Homes Standards

REQUIRE SAFE WORK PRACTICES DURING REMODELING, REPAIR, AND PAINTING

Cost Considerations: Because some banned work practices, such as machine sanding, reduce labor time in surface preparation, painting contractors and their clients would bear marginal increased costs.

Timing Issues: Developing and implementing systems to train remodeling contractors, painters, and maintenance workers will take time.

Feasibility of Implementation: Moderate. Training to build lead safety capacity can start before requirements are in place. Health department leadership will accelerate acceptance and enactment of lead-safe work practices requirements. Substantial support from community and advocacy organizations will help. Property owner and contractor associations should be asked to participate in developing the statute, ordinance, or code amendment to offset their likely opposition. Compliance will grow over time, because most contractors are law-abiding or interested in avoiding legal liability and are responsive to consumer awareness and demand for lead safety.

Success is more likely in areas with a relatively high incidence of lead poisoning and broad public awareness.

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The main obstacles are likely to be the opposition of property owners and contractors to enactment of requirements for lead-safe work practices.

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In 2001, the City of New Orleans enacted an ordinance that prohibits unsafe work practices during work on metal structures and buildings built before 1978. It requires that contaminated debris be contained within barriers and that visible paint chips be cleaned after completion of work. It also requires that tenants, neighbors, workers, and government agencies be notified that work on interior and exterior painted surfaces will take place and forbids retaliatory evictions. Enforcement is mostly by complaint and is more effective for work on exteriors that are evident to neighbors. The city is authorized to issue notices of violation, to require

remediation of any lead-based paint hazards generated by unsafe work, and to require a risk assessment before resumption of work.

Jurisdiction or Target Area: New Orleans

Primary Actor: Health Department and Department of Safety and Permits Secondary Actor(s): N/A

Staffing utilized: 0.25 FTE Other resources utilized: N/A

Factors Essential to Implementation: A coalition of physicians and community advocates worked with the city’s administration to develop the ordinance, which was passed in the wake of a survey finding that 25 percent of children screened at city-operated clinics had elevated blood lead levels. City departments and advocates must ensure wide publicity and education so that tenants and neighbors will report violations and so that violations will be vigorously pursued.

Limitations/challenges/problems encountered: The ordinance only applies to lead-based paint, which allows painters and owners to submit an unleaded paint chip to circumvent all requirements.

Lead Safety and Healthy Homes Standards

REQUIRE SAFE WORK PRACTICES DURING REMODELING, REPAIR, AND PAINTING

Magnitude of Impact/Potential Impact: The introduction of notices of work on older buildings has alerted residents to the dangers of unsafe renovation and remodeling. Contractors are being more careful when doing exterior work.

Potential for replication: High Contact for Specific Information Jerry McRaney

Assistant Chief Building Inspector, Department of Safety and Permits 504-565-6130

References for additional information N/A

Lead Safety and Healthy Homes Standards

TRAIN PAINTERS, REMODELERS, AND MAINTENANCE STAFF