Precise diagnosis of lead exposure risk assessment
Lead Exposure Risk Assessment Module from LICIEL provides a way to quickly write a report on the risks of being exposed to lead.
With this module you can generate reports about lead findings during sales and rent processes, and on common areas in particular before planning for work.
What are some of the objectives ?
To inform a prospective buyer or tenant about the property he/she plans to buy or rent
To provide reports about findings of the presence of Lead at the request of the state
History of Regulations
Lead can be found in several places both inside and outside of the home, including in the water that travels through lead pipes or in the soil around a house. However, it is mostly found in lead-based paint, which was used in homes before 1978. Lead poisoning is most often caused by accidently swallowing or breathing in the lead dust created by old paint that has cracked and chipped.
Due to the hazards of lead among other reasons, in 1970 the Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1970 was signed into law. Following the (CAA) a series of further regulations were created, one being in 1971 and under the name Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act. This act restricted the lead content in paint used in housing built with federal dollars and provided funds for states to reduce the amount of lead in paint. Subsequent legislation created the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which effectively banned leaded paint in 1976.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have begun a stringent effort to enforce the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act. In 1992, Congress enacted the Act, which regulates disclosure of lead- based paint in sales and lease transactions involving residential properties built before 1978. Congress assigned both HUD and the EPA with developing regulations to enforce the 1992 law.
Since then enforcement actions have occurred and substantial fines have been imposed. In cases where a seller or lessor utilizes the services of an agent, the agent has the responsibility to inform the seller/lessor of their obligations under the Act and to ensure compliance. Failure to comply can result in high fines per transaction.
The Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OLHCHH) within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) enforces HUD's lead-based paint regulations, and has resources available to educate families, community organizations, housing professionals and other stakeholders about the dangers of lead poisoning. Technical assistance can also be obtained on how to find out and what to do about lead in the home, and importantly, how to protect against it.
More recent, in 2012 the National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW) was introduced. It focuses on the many ways parents can reduce children's exposure to lead in their environment and prevent its serious health effects. The U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), along with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), promote educational activities during NLPPW to raise community awareness. A focus on testing children for lead has been added to the most recent campaign.
Which buildings are of concern?
Housing structures built prior to 1978
For additional information see the following web pages:
EPA.Gov: Additional Rules Relating to Lead
EPA.Gov: Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program Rules
A versatile module that assists in complying with ordinances
Benefit from a complete and up to date software ready to handle present and potentially future ordinances.
The Lead Exposure Risk Assessment Module in LICIEL facilitates generating a statement regarding the risks of being exposed to lead by tracking the lead-containing coatings.
This application contains the tools necessary to consistently create detailed and official reports.
Users can take advantage of various aspects of their report building and help to optimize their input more effectively even while in the field which in turn can reflect the following ways:
Possibility of obtaining additional measurement results of the presence of lead in several ways :
Use the data entered in the description section of the dwelling
Import your measurements from your X-ray fluorescence device
Import standard part models with null or pre-defined values
Transfer data via Bluetooth with the device
"To be more efficient, LICIEL recommends to import the measurments from the samples already available. This allows users to save a lot of time when performing the diagnosis; for example by using voice recognition to complete the measurements."
A notice of information is attached to the findings. It summarizes the effects of lead on health and the precautions to take in the presence of coatings containing lead.
