(02/04/16) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter LaHouse Resource Center will offer a Lead Certified Renovator training course on Feb. 23 and a refresher course on March 10.
Contractors who disturb paint in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities are required to maintain Lead-Safe Certification and follow certain practices according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule. Even very low levels of lead in children can cause irreversible damage to developing brains and other organs, said Claudette Reichel, AgCenter extension housing specialist.
“The most important reason to use lead-safe work practices is to protect children and workers from the serious health hazards of lead,” Reichel said. “In addition, noncompliance with RRP also puts the contractor at risk of substantial EPA penalties and liability in the event of lead poisoning.”
Previously certified contractors can take a recertification test at the half-day refresher course on March 10.
Registration includes all course materials and the certification test. Participants who pass the test will receive official EPA certificates from EnviroEd, a national EPA-accredited training provider.
Louisiana residential contractors can count the classes toward their continuing education requirements.
Registration, fees and more information about the class and the RRP Rule are available at www.lsuagcenter.com/lahouse. LaHouse is located at 2858 Gourrier Ave. across from LSU Alex Box Baseball Stadium.
Olivia McClure