Regulations & Standards
25%of exam
XRF Instrument Operation
30%of exam
Paint Chip Sampling
20%of exam
ASTM StandardsLab DocumentationNLLAPChain of Custody
Inspection & Reporting
15%of exam
Recordkeeping & Safety
10%of exam
RecordkeepingHealth SafetyPPE3-Year Retention
Quick Facts
- Exam
- Lead Inspector
- Authority
- TSCA 402/404
- Training
- 24 hrs (8 hands-on)
- Pass Score
- 70% typical
- Format
- Written multiple-choice
- Level
- Entry, no prereqs
- Recert
- 3 yrs (or 5 w/ PT)
- Blueprint
- Nov 12 2024 amendment
Training Hours by Discipline
8 renovator, 24 inspector, 40 worker hours
RRP: 8 hoursInspector: 24 hoursWorker/Supervisor: 40 hours
Inspector vs Risk Assessor
Inspector
- Presence/absence only
- 24-hr course
- No hazard call
Risk Assessor
- Presence + hazard eval
- Broader course/prereqs
- Dust + soil sampling
Find paint vs assess hazard
Which Certification Fits
- Determine LBP presence only→Inspector cert
- Need hazard determination too→Risk Assessor cert
- Manage abatement project team→Supervisor cert
- Perform abatement tasks directly→Worker cert
- Plan abatement scope/design→Project Designer cert
- Renovate/repair, disturb paint→RRP Renovator cert
Core Regulations
- TSCA 402/404
- Authorizes lead program
- 40 CFR 745
- Lead paint rule
- Subpart L
- Activities + certification
- Subpart E (RRP)
- Renovation rule, separate
- Title X
- 1992 residential lead act
- MAP
- Model Accreditation Plan
Inspector vs Abatement Worker
Inspector
- 24-hr initial course
- Tests, doesn't remove
- Report only
Abatement Worker
- Longer initial course
- Removes/controls hazard
- Supervised by Supervisor
Test vs remove lead
Target Housing & COF
- Target housing
- Built before 1978
- 0-bedroom exempt
- Unless child under 6
- Elderly/disabled housing
- Exempt, no children
- Child-occupied facility
- Pre-1978, child under 6
- COF visit rule
- 2 days/week, 3 hrs
- COF annual rule
- 60+ hours per year
Lead Inspection vs RRP Renovation
Inspection (Subpart L)
- Finds LBP presence
- Inspector/RA certified
- 24-hr course
RRP (Subpart E)
- Safe renovation practices
- Renovator certified
- 8-hr course
Detect vs disturb safely
Certification Disciplines
- Inspector
- Presence/absence only
- Risk Assessor
- Presence + hazard eval
- Supervisor
- Runs abatement project
- Worker
- Performs abatement tasks
- Project Designer
- Plans abatement scope
- RRP Renovator
- Separate rule, renovation
Certification Basics
- 24-hr course
- Min 8 hrs hands-on
- Course test
- Passing score required
- State-authorized program
- State cert may govern
- 3-yr recert
- With course-test method
- 5-yr recert
- With proficiency-test method
- 8-hr refresher
- Hands-on required
Twin Action Levels
1.0 mg/cm² XRF, 0.5% lab weight
XRF: 1.0 mg/cm²Lab: 0.5% (5,000 ppm)
K-Shell vs L-Shell XRF
K-shell
- Higher-energy source
- Less substrate bias
- Common modern XRF
L-shell
- Lower-energy source
- More substrate sensitive
- Needs correction factor
Bias risk differs by shell
XRF Result Next Step
- Reading at/above 1.0 mg/cm²→Report positive
- Reading clearly below level→Report negative
- Reading falls in NCL range→Collect paint chip
- Testing wood, using L-shell→Apply substrate correction
- Day begins or ends→Run performance check
- Any calibration-affecting event→Recheck before continuing
XRF Fundamentals
- Action level
- 1.0 mg/cm²
- K-shell source
- Less substrate bias
- L-shell source
- More substrate sensitive
- Substrate correction
- Adjusts biased reading
- PCS
- Performance Characteristic Sheet
- mg/cm²
- XRF reading unit
NCL Resolution Flow
XRF reads NCL, chip confirms lab
XRF: inconclusive readingChip: field sampleLab: final determination
XRF vs Lab Chip Analysis
XRF
- Field, non-destructive
- Instant reading
- mg/cm² units
Lab chip
- Destructive sample
- Days turnaround
- % by weight units
Field screen vs lab confirm
Calibration & QC
- NIST SRM 2570
- Lead-in-paint standard
- Start-of-day check
- Before first reading
- End-of-day check
- After last reading
- 4-hour check
- Or per manufacturer
- Serial number
- Logged in report
- Recalibrate event
- After any disruption
Result Interpretation
- Positive
- At or above 1.0
- Negative
- Below action level
- Inconclusive/NCL
- Needs paint chip
- Testing combination
- Component + substrate + color
- Distinct painting history
- Separate test required
- Multiple readings
- Average per location
ASTM Chip Sequence
Collect E1729, prep E1645, analyze E1613
E1729: field collectE1645: digestion prepE1613: ICP/FAAS analyze
Sampling Method Picker
- Collecting chip in field→ASTM E1729
- Preparing sample for analysis→ASTM E1645 digestion
- Quantifying lead content→ASTM E1613 ICP/FAAS
- XRF result inconclusive→Confirm via lab chip
- Selecting a lab→NLLAP-accredited only
ASTM Sampling Standards
- ASTM E1729
- Field chip collection
- ASTM E1645
- Acid digestion prep
- ASTM E1613
- ICP-AES/FAAS analysis
- Min sample mass
- About 0.5 gram
- Chain of custody
- Tracks sample handling
- Full-depth chip
- To substrate layer
Lab & Documentation
- NLLAP
- EPA lab accreditation
- TSCA 405(b)
- Lab recognition authority
- ISO 17025
- Lab quality base
- ELPAT
- Lab proficiency testing
- 0.5% by weight
- 5,000 ppm lab threshold
- Lab confirms NCL
- Resolves inconclusive XRF
Initial Inspection vs Clearance Exam
Inspection
- Pre-work survey
- Full surface coverage
- Presence/absence result
Clearance exam
- Post-abatement check
- Visual + dust wipes
- Pass/fail for reoccupancy
Before work vs after work
Inspection Method
- Surface-by-surface
- Every distinct surface
- Room-by-room
- Systematic component coverage
- Random sampling
- Statistically selected units
- Occupant interview
- Paint history input
- Deteriorated paint priority
- Test failing surfaces first
- Matched components
- Same history, one test
Report Contents
- Hazard location
- Where LBP found
- Severity description
- Extent of hazard
- Interim controls
- Temporary hazard reduction
- Abatement options
- Permanent hazard removal
- Prioritization
- Order of addressing
- Prior inspection results
- Include past findings
Recordkeeping Rules
- 3-year retention
- 745.227(i) requirement
- XRF data files
- Retained with report
- QC data
- Retained with results
- Firm + individual
- Both must retain
- Available on request
- To EPA/state
Health & Safety
- P100 respirator
- Lead dust protection
- PPE
- Gloves, protective clothing
- Neurotoxicity risk
- Highest in children <6
- Personal hygiene
- Wash before eating
- Scope limit
- No hazard determination
Common Traps
Inspector ≠ Risk Assessor
Presence only ≠ Not hazard determination
NCL ≠ Negative
Inconclusive, not clear ≠ Needs lab confirmation
K-shell ≠ L-shell bias
K-shell: less substrate effect ≠ L-shell: more substrate effect
Target housing ≠ any home
Pre-1978 only ≠ Elderly/disabled housing exempt
24-hr Inspector ≠ 40-hr Worker
Inspector: shorter course ≠ Worker: longer, hands-on abatement
Federal cert ≠ state cert
EPA cert may not suffice ≠ Authorized states require own cert
RRP Renovator ≠ Abatement
RRP: minor disturbance ≠ Abatement: permanent hazard removal
Last Minute
- 1.Action level: 1.0 mg/cm² XRF
- 2.Lab threshold: 0.5% by weight
- 3.24-hr inspector course, 8 hands-on
- 4.8-hr refresher, hands-on required
- 5.NCL means inconclusive, confirm lab
- 6.Chip sequence: E1729, E1645, E1613
- 7.Records retained minimum 3 years
- 8.Scope: presence/absence only, no hazards
- 9.K-shell has less substrate bias
- 10.Target housing means built pre-1978
- 11.Recert: 3 yrs test, 5 proficiency
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