[plainpainter]

So people talk of government agencies chasing after painting companies for not dealing with lead paint properly. So let's discuss - what exactly entails lead abatement these days? It seems to me that there is absolutely nobody paying extra money for lead abatement. Is it realistic to now approach customers with bids ranging from 20 - 50k for this? When they are use to 6-7k paint jobs?

 

[Faron79]

The "Led" problem...oops..."Lead"!!! I lOVE Led-Zepplin!

IMO, the whole problem here is that no Home-owner wants to $$pay$$, or even REMOTELY realizes how much it costs to get rid of the stuff...
PROPERLY AND LEGALLY that is!!!

The workers have to protect themselves=$$$; it's labor-intensive=$$$$, and then they're so shocked when it costs so much!!
And that's just to get it OFF!!

Painting companies have to be certified as to the methods/materials/disposal requirements. This also = $$$$.
Obviously, you can't just scrape it off! It's against the law to "aerosolize" lead surfaces by scraping or sanding. It HAS TO BE KEPT FROM THE ATMOSPHERE.
Stripping/encapsulating products are out there...Peel-away products?!
BUT proper training & inspection are still required I believe.

Faron

 

[slickshift]

... what exactly entails lead abatement these days?

I'm not certified so I can't answer specifics, but am familiar enough with the procedures to say that they are very similar to what you would expect a hazmat procedure to be (extra respirator gear, HEPAvacs...)
There's nothing particularly difficult about it, there are extra sundries and special tools involved, and the extra steps are very, very, time consuming
You can't skip or skimp on anything

Is it realistic to now approach customers with bids ranging from 20 - 50k for this? When they are use to 6-7k paint jobs?

It doesn't matter what's realistic
You can't sell them unless your are certified (in any state I've worked in or know of), and use the procedures, and they are time consuming and costly
Selling them w/o cert and not using the procedures is illegal
That's it
End of story

 

[timhag]

http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/pdf_files/LeadPaint1.PDF

 

[Rich]

I was lead certified for a short time. I had a "worker" certification, there is more training for a "supervisor" (they must also teach them how to sit in the truck and watch you all day )

Like others are saying...it's an extensive process, you can't just wing it, and you are playing with fire if you attempt a lead job without doing all the legal footwork. I'll admit, I've done minimal prep and paint on a run of soffit a few times with lead on it, but I was looking over my shoulder the whole time...

some guys are doing whole houses without being certified! yikes

 

[plainpainter]

In my areas - all painting companies scrape down all homes with vast amounts of lead paint that are still on the homes. Nobody even remotely entertains the though of lead abatement. I guess it is because there is zero government enforcement. But if they start to enforce - I dont' want it to be just a few 'lucky' guys that get nabbed. It's got to be an all or nothing effort. Either they make everyone do this - and everyone gets reported - or they just stay out of it.

 

[Zip]

Being an ex Ga. licensed lead "supervisor", I also had to learn how far and for how long I could sit in the truck at other locations while the "workers" were at the goverment sponsered jobsites. If you want to scrape your own lead paint here, you only have to comply with EPD, who now allows residential lead waste in regular construction landfills. State EPD & OSHA applies on doing other's lead abatement (more than 1 sq'), but there seems to be enforcement only on goverment sponsored projects. I know of no residential/commercial painting contractors practicing lead safe work or even requiring thier people to wear respriators due to lack of enforcement and education. Since insurance rates are ridiculous, most lead work is obivously being done by the lead/asbestos contractors out of the capital city. I found that 90% of lead abatement is component replacement, not painting operations.

 

[regal]

MA all I have to do is "use lead safe practices" no dry scraping, plastic on the ground etc., and I can take as much lead paint to any land fill I want for the cost of regular trash. I have the DEP note and the EPA note,to back me up. I took 30 drumliner bags full of plastic sheeting/ lead chips and my notes and the dump guy was left scratching his head.

 

[Tmrrptr]

OK, here's my bit on lead...

Few years back had an old guy that shuffled by our place on the way to market and post office every other day or so... nice old man.

Mac was out of Oklahoma, went shipboard in the Pacific theatre WWII and was discharged in Frisco after war. Didn't get far.
Found work in Bakersfield oilpatch and stayed til he retired.

Took Mac a loong time to make the trip down out little street...
He drug his feet flat on the ground sliding each step forward.
Not walk heel to toe, lifting toe high and setting heel down as we all do.

That, is but one exhibition of lead poisoning. Sad.