California lead requirements
California lead requirements
You are required to go through training with DHS in California in order to inspect for lead paint. The training class lasts 40 hours and costs anywhere from $650-800. In addition, those wishing to perform lead related tasks such as abatement must undergo additional training.
As you said before, the cost of an inspection ranges from $250 to $500 and is advantagious to the homeowner due to the fact that it can clear them in the future from having to pay for lead safe work practices. The cost of renting an XRF analyzer is around $4000 a month, which is hardly worth it. However, if you wish to purchase an XRF gun and go through the training, the cost of owning a gun is about $600 for a term of 4 years. This finance option, and others, are offered particularly by thermo fischer scientific on their NITON 300 series XRF analyzer. In addition to the purchase price (roughly 17k), one must also take into account the cost of replacing the radioactive isotope that the machine runs on. This will cost roughly $2600 every 1.5 to 3 years. The gun continues to work after the isotope loses it's strength, but gradually takes longer and longer to take readings.
It is very advantagious to any contractor to go through California's training in order to save themself the headache of lead safe work practices in non toxic situations. In addition, a contractor could consider performing a lead check prior to hiring a lead inspector. A contractor could in such a case advise the homeowner as to whether it is worth it to go through a lead inspection, or if lead paint definetly exists in the work area.
It should also be noted that California does not view homes built after 1950, but before 1978 as a particular threat. Keep in mind, if you have been performing work in California for the past 10 years, you have most likely been in violation of California's lead safe laws. It should be noted, however, that the EPA will not enforce any of California's regulations, as state and federal regulations fall under jurisdictions. California is not concerned with a GC performing work unless it has been determined that the level of lead in the air exceeds permissable exposure limits. See the California Department of Health Services for more information. It should also be noted that California is primarily concerned with the regulation of companies that work particularly in the lead services industry (abatement, risk assesment), and not with GCs. After this is all said and done, California does not travel to jobs to inspect during work in progress. It is merely noted that if a local inspector were to inspect a job and find that the work had created a lead dust hazard during say, final inspection, then DHS could intervene and impose restrictions and/or fines on a company.
