Following are several excerpts from the Home Safe Training website. http://www.homesafetraining.com/rrp.html

A new Federal regulation called the Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule (RRP) will go into effect on April 22, 2010. It requires all kinds of contractors who work in pre-1978 housing and who might disturb painted surfaces to become Lead Certified Renovators by taking a one-day course about using "Lead Safe Work Practices" on the job.

Since then-Senator Obama was one of those behind the original legislation, EPA enforcement is expected to be well funded. A summary of the RRP Rule follows.

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Lead causes a long list of problems, including learning and behavioral problems, kidney disease, high blood pressure, miscarriage and birth defects. Lead can even cause depression and aggressive behavior. The problems caused by lead, even very tiny amounts of it, would fill an encyclopedia. Lead doubles the number of children in special education classes and is thought to play a major role in our crime rate. There is no safe level of lead in the body. Any is bad for you.

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The rule applies to jobs in pre-1978 housing (i.e. "Target Housing") and child occupied facilities and where more than 6 square feet per room or 20 square feet outside will be disturbed by someone who is being compensated for their work.

The RRP rule covers millions of jobs: renovation, remodeling, painting, window replacement, plumbing, electrical work, heating and air-conditioning, demolition, plus jobs performed by many other trades like carpenters, electricians and handymen. The rule applies to the people who work for rental property owners, schools, and day care providers. It also applies to non-profits and governmental agencies.

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Individual Certification - At least one RRP Certified Renovator is required at each job site. Certification involves taking a 1-day class from an EPA Accredited Training Provider.

Firm Certification - In addition to individual certification, each firm, agency or non-profit must also become RRP certified. To do so, firms or entities must submit an application and pay EPA a fee ($300) which is good for 5 years. The EPA Firm Certification Form can be downloaded from the EPA web site. Firms may apply to on or after October 22, 2009.

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After April 22, 2010, "... no firm working in target housing or child-occupied facilities, where lead-based paint will be affected by the work, may perform, offer or claim to perform renovations without EPA Firm Certification." Firm certification is not the same as the personal certification attained by successful completion of an RRP course.