Lead-Based Paint Assessments

Lead was historically used in paints and coatings. These lead-containing coatings were commercially available to consumers and contractors alike. Structures built prior to 1978 are more likely to contain lead in paints and coatings than more recently built structures. Lead is a concern in housing because it is a poison that is easily ingested in the form of paint chips, soil, and dust, principally by children, though lead in housing is a hazard for adults as well.

Federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), as well as some state agencies have implemented regulations to protect against lead hazards.

Federal HUD has mandated abatement of lead hazards in federal housing. Federal EPA regulations require disclosure of lead hazards by all home sellers, leasers, and renters of pre-1978 housing. Finally, Federal OSHA has codified permissible exposure levels for workers.

ECA employs HUD/EPA trained and licensed lead inspectors and risk assessors. ECA is able to provide lead inspections and risk assessments at a broad cross-section of residential, commercial, and industrial facilities.