Contractors will soon be required to be EPA certified before making renovations to a home or building built prior to 1978 (that's the year lead based paint was outlawed). The new rules are aimed at reducing lead poisoning in children. So what exactly does that mean for contractors?? Well, starting April 22nd...no remodeling, no replacement of windows...unless one of the leaders on the work crew that's doing the work has been specifically trained in how to abate lead based paint. What that means for homeowners?? The extra testing and precautionary measures will force contractors to pass the additional cost onto their customers. If a contractor is caught working on a home built prior to 1978 WITHOUT the proper training...they could be fined almost $40,000 per violation, per day...the EPA is not playing around. The problem is there's not enough EPA certified instructors to go around...(there's maybe one or two in Oklahoma period)...which means most contractors WILL NOT be certified once the new rules go into effect this Thursday, April 22nd (that's earth day). Trade groups like the Oklahoma State Home Builders Association want the federal government to push back the deadline...not likely though.
Word is Metro Tech will soon be offering classes 6 days a week (although they're still waiting on approval from the EPA) ...you can call them at 405-424-TECH(8324)...they're located at 1900 Springlake Drive.
Useful links below...
http://www.epa.gov/lead/
Possible training in Oklahoma...
http://www.oshba.org/html/courses.php (Oklahoma State Home Builders Association)
Metro Tech...
www.metrotech.org
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This is a terribly discriminatory regulatory requirement that will severely impact lower income homeowners who own older homes. I don't suppose anyone in the government bothered to think about that. It also penalizes smaller businesses, less able to afford training and pass on the costs. I guess people will just have to work on their homes themselves. This seems to me one more example of our political and economic elites making law that discriminates against lower income people and favoring those with higher incomes. I guess it's not a surprise that these people are crooks and thieves but it is always sad to see it happen. That lady from the EPA that you interviewed was in la-la land.
ReplyDelete