In the State of Utah, the RRP or Renovation, Repair, and Painting program are managed by the state itself. As one of the few states authorized to do so, the EPA has given the State of Utah permission to manage and control their RRP programs and to ensure that their citizens are following the related laws. Should they fail to do, the State and the EPA will work together to catch and punish the offenders, often in the form of heavy fines and closed businesses.
The RRP program itself is designed to follow the RRP ruling, which demands that all workers who are operating in homes and buildings that contain lead hazards must be kept safe. To ensure this, at least one member of staff at the work site should be certified by the EPA and trained to minimize the risk that lead can pose to those people in and around the work site.
Lead is a toxic metal and has been shown to cause a variety of health problems including lower IQ, stomach cramps and fatigue. For years lead has been used in paint and when the paint chips it can be easily inhaled, allowing it to come into contact with your inner flesh where it’s rapidly absorbed into the body.
To prevent this, when working with lead hazards it’s critical that precautions are taken to reduce the inhalation of lead and to remove it from the air in a safe manner. For you to learn to do this, you must attend an EPA training course and then you can apply for certification once you have completed the training examination successfully.
Do I Need Lead Certification in Utah?
In 2010 the EPA enacted a law called the RRP or Renovation, Repair, and Painting rule to guard against the dangers of lead on work sites. The ruling dictates that for work to be completed on buildings which were built before 1978, which was when the use of lead paint was outlawed in the United States of America.
While not all of these houses may contain lead, the likelihood is far higher, and therefore the ruling requires that homeowners and contractors must become certified in most cases to work on these sites. It’s safe to assume that in most cases, a certified worker must always be present on site so that they can ensure the proper protocols are being followed to minimize the risk.
You will need to become certified if you’re a(n):
Renovator: As a renovator, you will need to become certified if you wish to work on these job sites. The process for certification is relatively simple, to begin you need to complete an 8-hour training course that is recognized by the EPA. At the end of the course, you’ll be required to sit an examination, which when passed will give you the ability to apply for certification through the EPA website. Renovators are often the only employee on a job site who will be lead certified, and therefore it’s common that you will be required to keep your certification on you at all times.
Contractor: If you’re working on a job site that includes buildings that were constructed before 1978, you’ll also need to complete a training course and become certified through the EPA. As an independent contractor, you must also ensure that the company you are working for is similarly certified by the EPA to be working on projects where there are potential lead hazards.
Home Owner: While you might own your home, you still need to follow the law if you wish to work on it. The RRP ruling isn’t only for your protection; it’s also implemented to ensure that those nearby aren’t forced to inhale the lead either. As a result, for areas inside your home larger than six square feet you will need to become lead certified to work on them.
Company: For a business to operate on buildings that were built before the enforcement of the lead paint ban, you must become certified. While you don’t need to complete the training course, you’ll be required to go to the EPA website where you can become certified for these jobs.
Property Manager: As with a contractor, if you’re overseeing the work then you’ll need to become certified, and as a property manager you’ll be required to complete the training course if you wish to do the work yourself.
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How to Become Certified in Utah
Before you can apply for your certificate through the EPA, you must first attend an accredited training course in Utah. There are many to choose from, but it’s important that you ensure the program is properly accredited so that you can become certified at the end of the course.
Can I Take a Refresher Course?
Each of the certificates only lasts for five years, and once they expire, you’ll be required to start from scratch, including doing the training course again. To prevent this hassle and cost, you can apply for a refresher certification and to do that you’ll only need to a complete a shorter 4-hour training course.
These refreshers are typically a fraction of the cost of the complete training programs and therefore are advantageous. To make this work, you’ll need to ensure that you apply for your refresher long before your current certificate expires to prevent you from having to start from the beginning.
RRP Rule Enforcement in Utah
In the state of Utah, the RRP ruling is monitored and enforced directly by the local government rather than by the EPA and the Department of Justice. Failing to comply with the rules can mean heavy fines, lost jobs and often the forced closure of businesses.
Steps to Becoming Lead Certified in Utah
- Find out more about what it takes to become certified
- Attend a training course and pass the final examination
- Receive proof that you succeeded
- Apply for certification through the EPA website
Helpful Links for Compliance in Utah
To find out more about lead compliance in the State of Utah, check out the following links:
Lead-Based Paint Program for Utah
Still, Have Questions About Lead Certification in Utah?
If you’re still curious about why you need to become certified or what you need to do next, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’ll help you through the process and answer any of the questions that you might have about the RRP program.