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Allegheny Lead Safe Homes Program

INDUSTRY:
Housing

SERVICES:
Environmental

LOCATION:
Allegheny County, PA

CLIENT:
Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County (RAAC)

allegheny lead safe home testing
allegheny lead safe home testing
allegheny lead safe home testing

Sci-Tek provided combination Lead-Based Paint (LBP) Inspection/Risk Assessment and other services for residential housing units as part of RAAC’s Allegheny Lead Safe Homes Program, funded by a grant to Allegheny County Economic Development. The program was based on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control (OHHLHC), established with more stringent risk assessment and clearance dust hazard levels. This program was to help eradicate the presence of lead within qualifying homes through combination LBP inspections/risk assessments, interim controls and abatements, and other interventions. The general scope of services included:

  •  An EPA accredited and Pennsylvania Licensed LBP Risk Assessor conducted onsite testing via XRF instrument readings, dust samples, and soil samples (if applicable), with water sampling at the request of RAAC.
  • Onsite dust wipe samples were collected according to OHHLHC requirements as part of the inspection/risk assessment. Soil samples were collected on the exterior of the dwelling if bare soil areas are present. Dust and soil samples were submitted to a NLLAP certified laboratory for analysis of lead. The analytical results were compared to HUD OHHLHC dust hazard levels.
  • Evaluation of common home health and safety hazards and recommendations for the remediation of these hazards through the Healthy Homes portion of the program. Inspectors referred to a list of 29 hazards and identified hazardous conditions on the interior and exterior of the residences.
  • If warranted, homes were reevaluated at 12-month intervals with a visual condition inspection of painted surfaces and additional dust wipe sampling, followed by a Lead Inspection/Risk Assessment (LIRA) reevaluation report.
  • Assistance was provided to RAAC for proper abatement and hazard remediation. Final clearance inspections were conducted after renovation work was completed. Using the initial LIRA survey and RAAC-provided information as guidance, the assessor conducted a visual assessment and clearance dust-wipe sampling of floors, interior windowsills, and window troughs using the protocol in Chapter 15 of the HUD Guidelines. The dust-wipe samples were submitted to a NLLAP accredited laboratory on a maximum 24-hour turnaround time.
  • Thorough and detailed technical reports were provided to RAAC following the LBP inspections and risk assessments, completed clearance inspections following lead hazard control work, and initial and post-remediation assessments for the Healthy Homes portion.