Contractor's News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Modern Builders Supply Responds To The EPA Lead Renovation Repair and Painting (LRRP) Requirements

Toledo, Ohio – April 1, 2010 – Modern Builders Supply, Inc.  (MBS) has been committed to offering our customers exceptional products and services since 1944. As the industry has been shaped into what it is today, more emphasis has been put on the safety of individuals involved in handling materials that contain lead in homes and other buildings built pre-1978.

According to the EPA:
Why Do You Need to Be Concerned About Lead?
The EPA states: Lead is a toxic metal that was used for many years in products found in and around our homes. Lead also can be emitted into the air  from motor vehicles and industrial sources, and lead can enter drinking water from plumbing materials. Lead may cause a range of health effects, from behavioral problems and learning disabilities, to seizures and death. Children six years old and under are most at risk.

 
Beginning in April 2010, federal law will require that contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.
 
The Agency issued a new rule aimed at protecting children from lead-based paint hazards in places they frequent. The rule applies to renovators and maintenance professionals that work in housing, child-care facilities and schools built prior to 1978. The rule, Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting Program (PDF)  (79 pp, 847K), requires that contractors and maintenance professionals be certified; that their employees be trained; and that they follow protective work practice standards. These standards prohibit certain dangerous practices, such as open flame burning or torching of lead-based paint. The required work practices also include posting warning signs, restricting occupants from work areas, containing work areas to prevent dust and debris from spreading, conducting a thorough cleanup, and verifying that cleanup was effective. The rule will be fully effective by April 2010.

What is covered by the rule?
The rule applies to paid contractors working in pre-1978 housing, child care facilities and schools with lead-based paint. Contractors include home improvement contractors, maintenance workers in multi-family housing, painters and other specialty trades. The covered facilities include residential, public or commercial buildings where children under age six are present on a regular basis as well as all rental housing. The rule applies to renovation, repair or painting activities. It does not apply to minor maintenance or repair activities affecting less than six square feet of lead-based paint in a room or less than 20 square feet of lead-based paint on the exterior. Window replacement is not minor maintenance or repair.

What does the rule require?
The rule, issued under the authority of section 402(c)(3) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), requires that renovators are trained in the use of lead safe work practices, that renovators and firms be certified, that providers of renovation training be accredited, and that renovators follow specific work practice standards.

MBS has taken a proactive approach to this endeavor put forth by the EPA by hosting Lead Safe Certification classes for its customers. The scheduled effective date of enforcement of this rule is April 22, 2010. In addition to the class, contractors will need to register their training class online at www.epa.gov.

Modern Builders Supply also is offering the incentive detailed below to help our customers get certified and grow their business. Our offer to our customers is as follows:

·        For any Polaris-Modern Builders Supply customer that receives their lead certification from an accredited agency. The customer needs to save the receipt from the training for their company filing and the crew certification. This is about $300.00 for the company being registered and about $225.00 for the class for a member of your organization to be certified.

·        Once our customer purchases $25,000 or more in Polaris Windows from a Modern Builders Supply location - Modern Builders Supply will credit your account the cost of the certification up to $500.00.

MBS has not stopped there. MBS has earned a reputation over the last 66 years as a company that contractors have relied upon to provide services beyond distributing building products.  Our mantra is: “To Be Simply The Best” and this starts and ends with our people. To accomplish this, it is critical that MBS has the best trained, most knowledgeable personnel in the industry. As a testament to better serve our customers and community, MBS has invested in the training and certification of our sales representatives, branch managers, and upper management. These MBS employees have been trained and are now lead certified by the EPA. In turn, MBS can now boast to be a Lead Certified Firm that bares the following Lead Safe Certified logo:

Lead safe practices mainly focus on the homeowner and residents of the home. MBS is also concerned about the safely of its contractor customers and their families. What is the first thing that we do when we get home? We hug our spouse and children – this has the potential of transferring the lead dust to our loved ones…So, lead safe practices are about safety to the families of both the homeowner and the contractor performing the work.  

For more information, and a schedule of Lead Containment Training courses hosted by MBS, please visit www.modernbuilderssupply.com.

Contact:
Gino Capuano
Marketing Coordinator
3500 Phillips Ave
Toledo, Ohio
USA
Ph: 419-241-3961