Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

Phone: 585 753-5087                                                               a baby playing with toys
 Fax: 585 753-5025

What We Do

Provide medical case management and educational outreach to families for all children with blood lead levels >5 µg/dl (micrograms per deciliter).

Conduct environmental investigations of primary and secondary residences of children with venous lead levels >5 µg/dl.  Investigations include a full educational intervention, as well as the identification of conditions conducive to lead poisoning (lead hazards), issuance of a Notice and Demand to the property owner to eliminate the hazards by a specified time-frame, and reinvestigation to verify compliance. Each unit must also pass a “Lead Dust Clearance.” The Lead Program enforces the NYS Sanitary Code Part 67-2, the Monroe County Sanitary Code, and Public Health Law relating to lead hazards.

A Notice and Demand requires all persons conducting Lead Hazard Control work to be EPA certified renovators.  See below for more information regarding Lead Renovator training.

Provide community-wide education on lead poisoning issues to the general public, health professionals, property owners, painting contractors, parent groups, etc. This is provided in the form of formal presentations, informational kiosks throughout Monroe County, distribution of informational brochures, Health Fairs, Home Shows and Exhibitions.

Respond to complaints of improper/unsafe lead hazard control activities and issues Cease and Desist Orders to stop unsafe practices, order cleanup of lead contamination, and assures that cleanup is performed properly.

Maintain a database registry of more than 90,000 children who have been tested for elevated blood lead levels throughout Monroe County that includes all medical and environmental management information on each child.

Other Sources of Lead Exposure

While Lead based paint, dust, and soil remain the greatest exposure source of lead to the children in our community, other materials containing lead are readily available and may also contribute to lead exposures in children and adults. Such sources can include toys, food/spices, medicines and cosmetics. 

Recalls of Children’s Products, Foods, Cosmetics, and Medicines Due to Lead Hazards

If your child has been exposed to products or food containing lead, talk with your Health Care Provider about getting a blood test. This is the only way to know if your child has been exposed to lead.

If your child has a high blood lead level, the Monroe County Department of Public Health's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program will call you to talk about next steps.

Picture of chipping paintRenovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Training

Common renovation activities that disturb painted surfaces, such as sanding, scraping, cutting, and demolition can create hazardous amounts of lead dust and paint chips when disturbing lead-based paint which can be toxic to children, adults, animals and the environment. 

As of April 2010, federal law requires contractors to become EPA Lead Certified Renovators. The  Renovation, Repair and Painting rule (RRP) affects anyone who is paid to perform work that disturbs paint in housing and child-occupied facilities built before 1978.  This includes: residential rental property, owners/managers, general contractors, maintenance personnel and trade contractors, including: HVAC, painters, plumbers, carpenters and electricians.

View EPA Federal Lead Rules for Contractors

To Become a Certified Renovator, an individual must successfully complete an 8-hour initial renovator training course and pass the hands-on skills assessment and exam, then apply to the EPA as a Certified Renovator. Renovator Initial Certifications remain current for 5 years from the date of course completion.
 


FREE LEAD REMODELER RENOVATOR INITIAL TRAINING

There are no more trainings scheduled for 2024
2025 trainings are anticipated to resume in April and will be posted when available

 

To Remain a Certified Renovator a renovator must complete a refresher training course before their current certification expires. Renovators must take a 4-hour refresher training that includes hands-on learning every other time they take the refresher course. Renovators who take the online refresher training will be certified for three years; renovators who take the hands-on training in the refresher course will be certified for five years. If the initial certification expires, the 8-hour course in its entirety must be taken again. 

Individuals working under Certified Renovator’s Supervision can either be certified renovators (meaning they successfully completed the RRP training) or they can have been trained on the job by a certified renovator. Such on the job training must be documented and the documents must be retained.

Due to Covid-19, Monroe County is not offering free RRP initial or refresher classes at this time.

EPA Disclosure Information for Property Owners, Renters and Renovators

Two federal laws regarding notification and disclosure of lead information may affect you before you sell or remodel your property:

Before You Sell/RentCover of the Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home brochure.

Effective December 1996, as per Section 1018 of the Residential Lead Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992, sellers and landlords must disclose information on known lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards in residential housing, and provide any available reports to prospective buyers or renters. In addition, sellers and landlords must give buyers and renters the pamphlet entitled “Protect Your Family from Lead in your Home” and keep a record of such distribution. All real estateCover to EPA document Renovate Right closings should include a disclosure form as part of the transaction.

Before You Renovate

Effective December 2008, as per 40 CFR Part 745 Lead; Renovation, Repair and Painting Program and Section 406(b) of the Toxic Substance Control Act, Title IV- Lead Exposure Reduction, renovators and remodelers working for compensation, are required to distribute the pamphlet “Renovate Right” to owners and occupants of most residential housing built before 1978 before commencing renovation activity. Minor housing repairs, maintenance, and emergency repairs are excluded from this notification requirement.


Additional Local Requirements

Informational Links

Helpful Documents

Educational Materials on Lead Poisoning in Other Languages

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