Lead Risk Assessment &
Clearance
Whether you are certifying your rental properties or concerned about the safety of your recent home purchase, Contemporary Inspection Services is committed to providing our clients with prompt, knowledgeable sampling services.
Lead is particularly dangerous to children because their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults do and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. Babies and young children can also be more highly exposed to lead because they often put their hands and other objects that can have lead from dust or soil on them into their mouths. To learn more about the risks of lead exposure, visit the EPA here.
Who Does Lead Effect and Why Should We Test?
Lead Risk Assessment: an on-site investigation to determine the presence, type, severity, and location of lead-based paint hazards (including lead hazards in paint, dust, and soil) and provides suggested ways to control them. Risk assessments can be legally performed only by certified risk assessors.
Lead Clearance Exam: an on-site investigation comprised of both visual and dust sampling following abatement measures. In Cleveland, passing this exam is required to obtain rental certification.
What Do We Do?
How Can I Prepare My Property for Inspection?
If your property has any evidence of hazards, you must remediate lead hazards prior to scheduling a lead safe clearance examination, and getting a Lead Safe Certification. If your property’s paint is in good shape without deterioration, and you make the determination that your rental unit does not need remediation work, you may Clean your Property.
Cleaning your property before scheduling a lead clearance examination greatly improves your chance of passing your clearance. The Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition strongly encourages you to clean your property before scheduling your clearance examination.
The property must pass a visual inspection before paint dust sampling can be done.
The property will fail the visual inspection if one or more of the following conditions exist:
1. Chipping paint anywhere.
2. Peeling paint on upper roof overhangs and soffits.
3. Peeling paint on any window anywhere.
4. Deteriorated wood with peeling paint.
5. Interior water/plumbing leaks with peeling paint on finished wall surfaces.
6. Exposed soil at exterior play areas (cover bare soil/dirt with mulch).
7. Peeling paint on basement walls, floors or ceilings.
8. Paint chips on ground, basement, window wells, and anywhere else.
Dust samples will be taken on interior window sills, window troughs (where the base of the lower window sash sits when closed) and on the interior floor in front of windows. It is imperative that windows be thoroughly cleaned and the floors in front of them be cleaned as well.
If the property fails the visual inspection, all failed areas must be cleaned/contained/painted before the inspector can return to conduct dust wipe sampling. Sampling can be conducted no sooner than 1 hour after clean up.
Please note that your Clearance Examiner cannot be related to or the same as the RRP Licensed contractor that remediated your property. Property owners cannot conduct a clearance examination on their own properties.
