Lead paint certification course set for May 14

To help local contractors meet certification requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Blaine and Hill county Montana State University Extension agencies are hosting a special class in Chinook to train renovators on the rules on lead-based paint.

The class, set for 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 14, at the Blaine County Extension Office, will provide the required training and certification on EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair and Training Rule that went into effect in 2010.

Many homes built in Montana before 1978 have lead-based paint, and renovation, repair and painting can create lead dust and chips that can be harmful to children and adults, the release announcing the class says.

The term “renovation” covers all activities done for compensation that disturb painted surfaces, including most interior and exterior repair, remodeling, painting and maintenance. The EPA requires all people working for companies doing work on homes with lead-based paint and some other buildings be trained and certified in the rule. That rule requires using procedures to lower the risk of lead contamination including through using careful work practices and thorough cleanup, the release says.

Since the EPA requires training and certification, all people who own a home built before 1978 should ask for proof that the contractor is a “Certified Operator,” the release says.

The rule requires that companies performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities and preschools built before 1978 be certified by EPA and use certified renovators who are trained by EPA-approved training providers to follow lead-safe work practices. Noncompliant contractors may be fined up to $37,500 per violation, the release says.

MSU Extension Housing and Environmental Health Specialist and EPA-Approved Training Provider Mike Vogel will teach the May 14 class, which includes a break for lunch. Vogel has trained more than 2,000 contractors in Montana and across the United States since the rule went into effect, the release says.

The cost of the certification is $200 per person.

To register for the class or to ask questions, people can call the Hill County Extension Office at 265-5481, ext. 233.