State of MA Cracking down...

[Otis P. Driftwood]

The State of MA is cracking down on contractors w/out certification from the State of MA. This memo was sent to contractors who are EPA certified but not MA RRP certified...


Dear Contractor

In July of 2010, the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards (“DLS”) adopted requirements under its lead standard, 454 CMR 22.00, that apply to renovation, repair or painting (“RRP”) work conducted for a fee in target housing or any child-occupied facility, where more than threshold amounts of paint are disturbed. These requirements establish safety standards for RRP work that parallel similar federal Environmental Protection Association (“EPA”) requirements that became effective in April 2010 under the "Renovation, Repair and Painting” Rule (“RRP” Rule), which is intended to increase awareness of lead hazards that occur as a result of renovations. DLS received authorization from the EPA to administer and enforce these lead safety standards, in lieu of the federal standard being enforced by EPA in Massachusetts.

In Massachusetts, even though you are listed as an EPA certified renovation Firm, should your business perform renovation, repair or painting work in residences or child-occupied facilities built prior to 1978, you are required to be licensed as a Lead-safe Renovation Contractor by the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards pursuant to 454 CMR 22.03(3), and comply with other applicable requirements of 454 CMR 22.00. To apply for a Lead-Safe Renovation Contractor license, please download the application at: http://www.mass.gov/lwd/docs/dos/lea.../la-app-rc.pdf, and submit the application together with the additional requested documents and application fee to our Boston office to obtain your license.
Below are some basic facts about the Lead-Safe RRP requirements in Massachusetts that tradespersons and contractors should know:

• Contractors, property managers, and others who perform renovations for compensation in residential houses, apartments, and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 are required to distribute a lead pamphlet to unit owners and adult occupants before starting work.

• Contractors and other entities are required to be licensed by DLS; their employees must be trained in the use of lead-safe work practices, and those lead-safe work practices must be followed to minimize occupants' exposure to lead hazards.

• A person who has taken a one-day “Lead-Safe Renovator-Supervisor” or “Certified Renovator” course and is in possession of a current certificate of training issued by an approved training provider must be on site and in control of the work at all times when the work is in progress. Workers on such projects must be trained by the certified supervisor or a training provider licensed by DLS.

• The work must be carried out in accordance with work practice requirements specified in 454 CMR 22.00, including, but not limited to: testing of suspect materials, work area isolation or delineation, exclusion of personnel, covering of objects, acceptable work methods, cleanup and cleaning verification.

• Certain record keeping and notification requirements are also specified.

You may also wish to visit our website at www.mass.gov/leadsafe to view the DLS lead regulations and access more information about DLS requirements related to RRP work.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call us at 617-626-6960.

[Ted S.]

Yeah I got that email.

I get so much RRP Spam its hard to tell when one is legit.

Anything that comes my way concerning lead is nuked unless it has a .gov address.

[Otis P. Driftwood]

Actually, the State is also going around auditing contractors for licensing and insurance/RRP. They were in my City a few months ago and managed to catch several contractors w/out licensing or insurance.


J

[BigLou80]

Yeah I got that email.

I didn't, maybe I need to give the state my E Mail address

[Otis P. Driftwood]

From what I heard, MA used the EPA list of contractors for the mailing list. Interesting thing on the mailing list, the sender didn't use "blind cc" to hide all the receivers of the email, thus everyone who got that email got to see all the other members of the mailing list.

Not being on the list could be a God send, as my cousin who is an electrician, gets about a dozen "you will comply or be fined" messages per week. He expects somebody to show up at his front door someday to comply or be carried away. He sent in the application and payment a long time ago..

[PaddyO]

How much is this "license" going to cost?Jesus wept,this state blows,taxachusetts..the Pay State.Who's cousin is this going to keep in a job?

[Otis P. Driftwood]

How much is this "license" going to cost?Jesus wept,this state blows,taxachusetts..the Pay State.Who's cousin is this going to keep in a job?

Base MA RRP license is $400.00, higher if you have employees or are a lead paint removal contractor.

The name "taxachusetts" fits perfectly, as they are planning to tax internet sales in the never ending quest for revenue to be spent. The State estimates it can get at least $35+ million more in revenue per year if internet sales are taxed.

[Ted S.]

Take a look at the MA Environmental Police, all the trim packages on the F150's upgraded recently.

[PaddyButcher]

Take a look at the MA Environmental Police, all the trim packages on the F150's upgraded recently.

Brand spanking new!!!I was doing a job in Brookline and two of them came hauling up the street I was on the crosswalk and they almost ran me over. The emergency was a bear that was stuck up a tree you would think it was another Chernobyl they were responding. A bear...up a tree...call the authorities !

[Dick Seibert]

Green Police in fancy 150s? What about the environment, I thought they were all supposed to ride Segways?

[BigLou80]

Dick,
the few EPOs I know are hunters not environmentalists