Brookline Health Official: Not All Contractors Seeking Required Lead-Safe Certification

Brookline health officials have shut down work at nearly a dozen construction sites in recent months – including one this morning – because crews had failed to receive lead-removal certification required under new federal regulations.

Pat Maloney, the town's environmental health director, said his staff has halted work at around 10 homes since the Environmental Protection Agency implemented the mandatory certification program for general contractors in April. Most of the enforcement action has been prompted by calls from concerned neighbors.

"This is the time of year when people are painting their homes, or hiring people to paint their homes, and we're getting calls from neighbors saying there's a guy over there and there's paint flying all over the place," Maloney said. "Obviously the word is getting out because the public is aware of it, but obviously not everyone is."

Though lead notification and clean-up laws have been on the books for years, the people who work in sites potentially tainted by lead have not been required to seek  specific training until now. Under the new regulations, certification is mandatory for any individual or company paid for a project that disturbs at least 6 square feet of interior lead paint or 20 square feed of exterior lead paint in homes, buildings or child-occupied facilities built before 1978.

Maloney recommends homeowners insist on seeing contractors' certification before hiring them to do work in any area that falls under the regulation. Residents with questions can contact the Brookline Health Department or consult the EPA's lead website.

If contractors do not comply with the regulation, Maloney said his office has the authority to fine them or take them to court. So far, however, all crews told about the requirement have cooperated and sought certification.

Michael Shepherd, commissioner of the Brookline Building Department, said he is arranging for all town employees who do work in public buildings to attend training as well.

"We just want to make sure that our guys are all being certified," he said.

Lead is a toxic chemical that, if inhaled or ingested through contaminated dust, paint chips and soil, can cause irreversible health problems, including learning disabilities, seizures and death. Pregnant women and children under the age of 6 and are particularly susceptible.