Contractor violated lead RRP rule, is fined

BOSTON — James J. Welch & Co. Inc., based in Salem, Massachusetts, faces a penalty of $28,125 for allegedly violating a requirement designed to protect children from exposure to lead-based paint during painting and other renovation activities, according to a press release.

The alleged violations occurred during a renovation project at the former Frisbee School in Kittery, Maine, which was, at the time of the renovation, a child-occupied facility subject to EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule, the release stated.

According to the release, the violation was brought to EPA’s attention via an anonymous tip, after which EPA and Maine Department of Environmental Protection performed an inspection of the site in Feb. 2012.

Based on the inspection, EPA determined that JJ Welch did not ensure that a company hired as a subcontractor to replace windows at the school complied with the required work practice requirements of the RRP Rule, including failure to assign a certified renovator to the work site; failure to cover ground with plastic sheeting; and failure to contain waste from the renovation activity, the release noted.

Click here to read the release in its entirety.