The District of Columbia has a new lead law, effective beginning April, 2009. This law makes the presence of lead-based paint hazards illegal in all residential dwelling units, in common areas in multifamily properties, and in child-occupied facilities such as daycares, built before March 1, 1978. 

 

The new law gives broad authority to the District Government to enter such places and conduct a special form of lead inspection, called a “risk assessment.” A risk assessment determines where lead-based paint hazards may exist in a given property. If a District official finds that a lead-based paint hazard is present, then the property owner will receive a notice of violation from the District that describes where the hazard was found and how the owner must go about eliminating it. 

 

Anyone engaged in eliminating lead-based paint hazards must abide by a set of work practices described in the new law and must at minimum be trained in lead-safe work practices. Similarly, whenever a contractor (including painters, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and others who work on housing) disturbs paint during the course of their work in a pre-1978 property, they must use lead-safe work practices and must “contain” the immediate work area so that no dust or debris is spread beyond it.