Whenever you are preparing to renovate a property, it is essential that you have all the correct planning and administrative paperwork in place. However, it is just as important to make sure that any contractors you are working with are fully licensed and competent, but many people overlook this step. Before you let any contractors near your property, you need to know about RRP.
What Is RRP?
The RRP is the renovation, repair, and painting rule, as set out by the Environmental Protection Agency. In order to ensure that both contractors and homeowners are protected from dangerous lead exposure during renovations, the EPA requires any contractors that work on properties constructed before 1978, when lead usage was much more common, have a certificate indicating that they know how to handle such situations safely.
Unless a property built before this time has been certified by the EPA as being lead-free, it is imperative that any contractors working on it have the appropriate license to do so.
Why Does It Matter?
Lead poisoning is a very serious hazard and can lead to severe health impacts. Even in low doses, lead can cause numerous health problems for children, adults, and unborn babies. Worse still, the effects of lead poisoning are irreversible and can lead to permanent impairment if exposure is high enough.
Fortunately, even in properties that do use lead throughout, it is possible to minimize the risk of exposure and resultant health issues quite easily. Contractors that are certified to work with lead will know how to best keep it from spreading into the environment and ensure that exposure is kept to a minimum.
Do The Laws Apply To Everyone?
Yes. These are regulations set by the EPA at the federal level, and all states are required to adhere to them. In the last few years, there has been an uptick in reports of noncompliance. This reflects both better education amongst the general public and a greater level of vigilance from regulators. The EPA has gotten much more serious about enforcing these regulations and there has been a renewed focus on employee safety more generally within the home contracting sector over the last couple of years.
However, another reason cited for the increase in reports of non-compliance is that many of those who are supposed to be in compliance seem to be unaware of their legal obligations. In other words, they aren’t making any effort at all to maintain compliance with the regulations, even though they are legally obligated to. This can be a very expensive mistake to make and can even lead to businesses being forced to close.
Before you undertake any renovations on your property, you should always check to make sure that you aren’t falling afoul of any local building regulations that might be in place. Failing to do your due diligence can end in numerous problems down the line. When it comes to lead exposure, the health of everyone in your home is at stake. It is, therefore, essential that you ensure any contractors are RRP-compliant.