new federal lead paint regs

From the AP (updated by Chris Otts in the C-J)...


Contractors across the country must take additional precautions when renovating houses where children could be exposed to lead dust from old paint, a safety step that could add thousands of dollars to projects just as the remodeling industry tries to recover from the recession.

A federal rule that takes effect today forces contractors to use "lead-safe" practices when working on homes, day-care centers and schools built before 1978, the year lead paint was banned for residential use because of health risks. Many contractors complain that the government has not provided enough trainers to help them meet the deadline and want it extended....

Workers will have to be certified as lead-safe by the EPA and wear special gear outfitted with air filters, goggles and hoods. Work sites will have to be protected with heavy plastic and cleaned thoroughly with special vacuums, with warning signs posted....

To be certified, a contractor needs to take a one-day course....

The good news: more safety; the bad news: higher costs to producers and consumers, larger barriers to entry, more monopoly power; and more difficulty for an economy trying to recover.