Painting inspection

Many engineers appreciate that painting, which should be a minor part of an engineering project, can assume major proportions if there are problems or premature failures. For any painting work for which premature failure is economically or practically unacceptable, it is advisable to use full-time, qualified paint inspection. Note that part-time inspection, or visit inspection, can in some ways be worse than no inspection at all. 

HUD. 1997. Guidelines for the evaluation and control of lead-based paint hazards in housing. Chapter 7 Lead-based paint inspection. 1997 Revision. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

An explicit approach has been used in a series of studies of paint-inspection systems for automotive painted body panels culminating in Uoyd et al. (2000). Instead of starting with the hst of defects traditionally used by process engineers, they sampled many body panels with and without defects and had customers directly rate their dissatisfaction with each defect. This technique produced a list of the most important defects from the customer s point of view and associated criteria for defects to be below the customer s threshold of dissatisfaction. They could then design improved inspection systems, for example, using better lighting for human inspection, that reduced warranty data significantly and had a payback time of only six months. 

Tooke WR Jr (1963) Film thickness testing a paint inspection gage. Official Digest 35(462) 691-698... 

There are 3 different approaches for checking out the lead paint hazards in your home—a screen risk assessment, a risk assessment, and a lead-based paint inspection— depending on your situation. 

If your home is in good condition and you do not think there is much risk of lead exposure, you can get an abbreviated type of assessment, referred to as a screen risk assessment, just to be sure. It is much simpler and less expensive than a standard risk assessment or a paint inspection. A screen risk assessment consists of a visual inspection of the condition of the paint and the analysis of only a few dust samples. If lead hazards are found, however, a full risk assessment should be done. 

The risk assessor may take dust and/or paint samples, generally from window areas and floors where children would be likely to play. He or she will usually not take water samples unless you so request. If a paint inspection has been done, then the results will be reviewed. Otherwise, any deteriorating paint would be analyzed by XRF or laboratory analysis. Any bare soil in outdoor play areas or sandboxes, vegetable gardens, or pathways should also be analyzed. 

Spot test kits should be used only as a screen, or an indication of whether your paint has lead. The results are not definitive. These test kits offer qualitative, not quantitative, information. That is, they show whether lead is present, but not the concentration of lead. Testing your home with a lead test kit is not a substitute for a lead paint inspection. However, it can provide some information at a much lower cost, and in many cases may be the only affordable means of knowing whether paint has lead. 

If you have a choice, you might want the inspector to use a K-shell instrument rather than an L-shell instrument. The same EPA report suggested that of the types of XRF instruments in use for lead paint inspection, K-shell instruments are more accurate. ... 

If you do not have either a risk assessment or lead-based paint inspection, you must assume that all surfaces have lead-based paint and take precautions accordingly if you are doing any work that disrupts painted surfaces. Also, once the controls are completed, you will need to have a licensed assessor inspect for any other hazards before your home can be officially declared safe. ... 

If you live in housing that is owned by or associated with the federal government, you are protected by laws requiring lead paint inspection and hazard control. These are cited in Appendix H. 

Frequency or other criteria for lead paint surface testing depends on the purpose of the effort. U.S. HUD (1995, Ch. 7, revised 1997) spells out two types of lead paint measurement protocols for paint surface testing. These are lead paint inspection testings and risk assessments, the latter to identily what HUD terms lead paint hazards. The term risk assessment carries a regulatory definition (CFR 40 Part 745, 2001) focused on lead paint hazards. Lead paint inspections deal with determining the presence of lead paint and usually test many more areas than lead paint hazard risk assessments. Both... 

The second category of joint endeavor covers EPA certification mandates and work practices standards under Title IV of TSCA and Title X. This regulation requires EPA to establish mechanisms for training and certification of workers involved with risk assessment, paint inspections, or various forms of lead paint or lead paint hazard abatements. 

In this Final Rule, U.S. HUD sets forth seven strategies for lead paint or paint hazard evaluation and hazard reduction, varying in relative stringency from least to most (1) safe work practices during rehabilitation (2) ongoing lead paint maintenance practices to assure continued intact surfaces (3) visual assessment and paint stabihzation (4) risk assessment and interim controls (as defined above) (5) combined risk assessment and lead paint inspection with interim controls (6) risk assessment and abatement of lead paint hazards and (7) lead-based paint inspection and abatement via removal of aU lead paint. 

Just knowing that a building has lead-based paint may not indicate the level of hazard. You can check buildings for lead content in a couple of ways. A paint inspection can reveal the lead content of every different type of painted surface in a building. However, it won t tell you whether the paint is a hazard or how you should deal with it. A risk assessment will determine if there are any sources of serious lead exposure (such as peeling paint and lead dust). It will also tell you what actions to take to address these hazards. 

Risk assessment takes on many forms. One is shown in Table 2.1. It has to do with the assessment of risk once a paint inspection, and possibly testing, is done. You will also want to consider the different types of work you will be doing. Each type can involve different rules and regulations. See Tables 2.2 and 2.3 for examples of different types of work. 

TABLE 2.1 Comparison of Risk Assessment and Paint Inspection... 

ANALYSIS, CONTENT, OR USE RISK ASSESSMENT PAINT INSPECTIONS... 

This is only general guidance. Actual on-site conditions or r ulatory requirements may dictate another hazard evaluation method. A paint inspection by itself may not identify lead-based paint hazards. A risk assessment inspection combination is an option whenever an assessment or inspection is indicated. A risk assessment screen is appropriate for buildings in good condition. Some jurisdications may limit choices in some circumstances. 

According to the NAHB survey, an EPA-certified lead-based paint inspector confirmed the presence of lead-based paint in all of the properties considered for this survey. Previous inspection reports were consulted if the inspections conformed to the HUD guidelines for lead-based paint inspections. Properties used in this survey included a single-family home in Illinois, two singlefamily homes and a duplex in Connecticut, and an apartment above a storefront in Wisconsin. 

Under the current Lead-Based Paint Activities Regulations at 40 CFR, Part 745, Subpart L, both individuals and firms that perform lead-based paint inspections, lead hazard screens, risk assessments, and abatements must be certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), EPA proposed a similar, but not identical, regulatory scheme for individuals and firms that perform renovations. 

Figure 9.2 Form for the review of previous lead-based paint inspections.

A paint inspection tells you the lead content of every different type of painted surface in your home. It won t tell you whether the paint is a hcizard or how you should deal with it. 

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