Section 845.255  Work Practice and Occupant Protection Program

a)         The lead abatement contractor shall protect occupants of a regulated facility undergoing lead abatement or lead mitigation activities from exposure to potential lead hazards that may be generated by the lead abatement or lead mitigation activities.  To ensure the health and safety of occupants, a Work Practice and Occupant Protection Plan shall be developed and followed for each lead mitigation and lead abatement project.  At a minimum, the plan shall describe the protocols, procedures and work practices to be employed by the lead abatement contractor to ensure that the occupants are properly protected from potential lead hazards that may be generated from the lead abatement or lead mitigation work. The plan shall be written and shall fulfill the following requirements:

1)         Evaluate the need to remove the occupants from the regulated facility during the lead abatement or lead mitigation;

2)         Be unique to each lead abatement or lead mitigation work area;

3)         Be developed by a licensed lead abatement supervisor employed by the licensed lead abatement contractor performing the lead abatement or lead mitigation work;

4)         Provide the name, written signature and Department-issued license number of the licensed lead abatement supervisor who prepared the plan;

5)         Be developed and implemented prior to commencement of lead abatement or lead mitigation;

6)         Include the results of any lead inspection or lead risk assessment conducted in the regulated facility;

7)         Evaluate and establish the requirements for pre-cleaning the work areas before establishing work place barriers and containment systems as required by Section 845.265;

8)         Describe what work practices will be employed to prevent the uncontrolled release of dust and debris from the work area;

9)         Describe the method of separating the work area from non-work areas, and describe work area isolation methods to prevent unauthorized entry by non-licensed or non-protected individuals;

10)         Describe in writing work practices to be employed to abate or mitigate the lead-bearing substance and lead hazard;

11)         Outline procedures to ensure that the work area or regulated facility is not re-occupied prior to final cleaning required in Section 845.285 and the final clearance evaluation requirements specified in Section 845.225;

12)         Be kept at the site and updated as necessary by the lead abatement supervisor employed by the lead abatement contractor performing the lead abatement or lead mitigation;

13)         Be kept by the lead abatement contractor after the completion of the lead mitigation or lead abatement project in accordance with the record keeping requirements outlined in Section 845.300; and

14)         Be made available for review by the building owner, its agent or a representative of the Department or its delegate agency.

b)         The lead abatement contractor performing a lead abatement or lead mitigation activity that is expected to break or disturb any lead-bearing substances shall display a caution sign outside each work area at the regulated facility in the following manner:

1)         Before abating or mitigating a lead-bearing substance, caution signs shall be posted by the lead abatement contractor immediately outside all entrances and exits to each work area;

2)         Caution signs shall be kept posted until the lead abatement or lead mitigation is completed and final clearance evaluation results have been obtained.  Caution signs shall:

A)        Be at least 11" by 8.5";

B)        State the date and place of the lead abatement or lead mitigation project; and

C)        Include the phrase "Warning, Lead Work Area, Poison, No Smoking or Eating" in bold lettering, at least 2 inches high.

(Source:  Amended at 43 Ill. Reg. 2440, effective February 8, 2019)