Posted on 04/16/2010 4:19:29 AM PDT by TornadoAlley3
WASHINGTON – Louisiana renovators such as plumbers, electricians, painters and window installers are scrambling to meet a new federal rule that goes into effect next week and requires them to get certified to handle lead paint.
Contractors nationwide have complained about the lack of trainers provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the certification.
The new standard, aimed at reducing the impact of lead paint on children, affects projects in homes built before 1978.
Louisiana seems to be ahead of other states in getting ready for the Thursday deadline. But the new EPA rule could mean that projects for Louisiana homeowners may be delayed or brought to a standstill because of the lack of certification.
“People are thinking it’s not a big deal, but it is,” said Linda Evans, executive director for the Capitol Region Builders Association, which represents Baton Rouge members.
EPA certified training began in December at the LSU Ag Center in cooperation with National Center for Healthy Housing.
The group has trained about 400 contractors, said Claudette Reichel, an LSU professor and extension housing specialist.
But Reichel said some contractors won’t be ready because they delayed getting the training unaware of the impending new rule or couldn’t get into a class capped at 18 people.
“Louisiana is probably in better shape than many states,” Reichel said. “A lot of people never heard about it yet, and contractors are calling us saying ‘they won’t accept my bid unless I’m certified.’ ”
“Some people are frustrated and it’s understandable,” Reichel added.
The association estimates that about 70 renovators have been trained in its group, which has about 100 such workers. Failing to be certified and working on a project could result in a fine of $32,500 a day.
(Excerpt) Read more at 2theadvocate.com ...
We taught our children NOT to chew on paint chips. That is really ALL You have to do. You don’t have to remove the paint. Teach them not to chew on, or eat, anything they find on the ground or the floor. WATCH them when they are too young to understand. Teach them not to chew on furniture and toys. Our kids are grown and this worked for us. You just have to have one adult dedicated to them, who watches them, every waking minute.
Laws can be dealt with, but regulations fron Bureaucrats who can spew them out faster than we can keep up with them are tough to beat.
Give the head of a government agency the power to make their own rules and this is what you get. They become minor Kings.
At what point do the morons who voted for Obamao and the RATS in Congress realize what they’ve been doing to themselves? These things just don’t affect only conservatives...at least not yet.
Mean while on the streets of New Orleans, the black on black murders continue. More are murdered that were ever even injured by residual lead paint.
What we need is a law that requires those that create regulation do a financial impact study that any new regulation would have.
How much does it cost us to have this regulation?
How many people will be harmed if this regulation is not in force?
I suspect this regulation is going to cost millions of dollars with little in the way of protecting anyone.
A buddy of mine is a private contractor. He stopped over yesterday and was bitching about this new regulation.
It is going to cost him $800 to take the silly class to get certified to deal with lead paint. He said that following the regs will add thousands of $$ to even what was before small jobs.
It will almost double the cost of replacing windows in older homes.
New Orleans one of world's most dangerous cities
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