CONTRACTOR REGISTRATION IN CINCINNATI: NEW CHAPTER 1106

Presented by Richard Schriewer, Supervisor of Inspections, City of Cincinnati

All of the permitted construction work within the corporation limits of the City of Cincinnati shall only be transacted by a registered building construction contractor. You will want to memorize this sentence.   Contractor registration is just one facet of the newly established Chapter 1106 of the Cincinnati Municipal Code. The primary intent of the ordinance is to provide a level of consumer protection by ensuring that all building construction contractors are registered, bonded, insured, and current with their income taxes. 

Richard Schriewer, Supervisor of Inspections with the City of Cincinnati, will be the featured presenter for this meeting. Richard is a graduate of The University of Cincinnati with a degree in Architectural Engineering. He supervises State Registered Commercial Building Inspectors in all aspects of their jobs. His area of responsibility includes the central business district, downtown riverfront development and all other aspects of construction inspection within the City of Cincinnati. 
 
Come out and join us for this informative meeting where Richard will explain the contractor registration program, the different registration categories as well as the category requirements. The cost for this meeting is $25.00 for members and $30.00 for non-members.

Registration and networking begin at 6:30 p.m. Dinner and the program will be from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. We will meet at Nisbet Brower 11575 Reading Road, Cincinnati, OH 45241.  Please register online at www.naricincinnati.org or RSVP at 800-498-NARI today!

June 11, 2010

Ohio Valley NARI is invited to attend an additional RRP Certification class that Miami Valley NARI has scheduled for Friday June 11, 2010. The class will be instructed by William Menrath, MS.  If your firm is not yet certified, here is yet another opportunity. Class will take place from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Ramada Plaza North at 2301 Wagner Ford Road, Dayton, OH.  The cost of the class is $179.00 for members and $229.00 for non-members.
 
EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Final Rule (40 CFR 745) requires that renovations conducted for compensation, must be performed by Certified Firms using Certified Renovators, Renovation firms that wish to work in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities must apply to the EPA and pay a fee in order to become certified. Renovators seeking to become Certified Renovators must successfully complete an EPA-accredited renovator course or a course accredited by an EPA authorized State or Tribe. These courses are the EPA model course for Certified Renovators and as such meet all requirements in 40 CFR 745.90. These courses will teach attendees how to comply with the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule and the HUD Lead Safe Housing Rule, and how to perform lead safe work practices safely and effectively. Once you have successfully completed a Certified Renovator Initial Course, delivered by an EPA-accredited training provider, you will be an EPA Certified Renovator. EPA Certified Renovator status will allow you to do lead safe renovation, repair, and painting work in pre-1978 housing and in child occupied facilities where work will disturb lead-based paint.
 
The classes are limited to 24 students each and fill up quickly.  Please call (800) 498-NARI to register or go to www.naricincinnati.org.

July 17, 2010 

August 12, 2010 

 

 

 

The rule is the law. 

April 22, 2010 -- not only the 40th anniversary of Earth Day-- but for the remodeling industry was the implementation date of the EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule. Please comply with all requirements of the rule; effective last week, the rule is the law. 

NARI, along with its chapters and many allied associations, lobbied the EPA, the Office of Management and Budget, and key senate leaders to postpone the implementation date of April 22, 2010 for a period of at least 60 days.  While NARI is committed to success of the rule and to the prevention of lead poisoning in innocent people, we have many times expressed serious concerns that subsequent revision to the Opt-Out provision will create confusion and undermine successful implementation. 
 
We knew that rule postponement, though logical and particularly necessary with revision of the Opt-Out provision, was highly unlikely.  We expected that the EPA would announce its final decision on the Opt-Out provision today with implementation following in 60 days.  A curious incident -- early this morning, we viewed an announcement on the EPA website that the Opt-Out provision was eliminated, however, the announcement did not appear in the Federal Register and was pulled from the EPA website.
 
Thanks to all NARI Chapters, delegates and members who responded to Calls to Action and giving the cause our best effort.  While we did not prevail, we were heard by elected officials and exercised our rights and privileges as Americans.  
 
We will continue to monitor the EPA and keep you informed of all developments.

Last Friday the EPA announced several amendments to the RRP rule that will affect your business.  For full details visit the EPA website at http://www.epa.gov/lead/new.htm. To summarize:

The record keeping requirements have been changed. We now must give copies of our records within 30 days of the final invoice or completion of the project to the home owner or resident.  The records that we turn over must demonstrate compliance with the training and work practices of the RRP rule, basically the checklist and the results of any testing.

The Opt-Out provision has been eliminated and lead safe work practices will apply to all pre-1978 houses.  This is something we have been expecting and most of us were informed during our training this provision would be removed.

Both of these amendments are final and will take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.  The Renovate Right brochure will be amended accordingly by the EPA and NARI will alert its members when the new brochure is available.

The EPA also issued a guidance letter on April 20, 2010 to its Enforcement Division Directors in all regions announcing the rule would be fully effective on April 22, 2010.  EPA will not take any enforcement action against firms who have applied for firm certification before April 22, 2010 and are just waiting for their paperwork; they expect these applications to be processed by June.  EPA will still enforce rules about work practices and training requirements for these firms.  This letter makes no mention of firms that apply after April 22 for firm certification so they are telling their enforcement people to go to work and begin enforcement.

If your firm is not certified and you do not have trained renovators on staff you will be breaking the law!

The EPA also published two proposed amendments to the RRP that are now open for comment.

Lead: Clearance and Clearance Testing Requirements for RRP will require dust wipe testing after completing the existing cleaning verification procedures for some/most renovations.  The EPA will be accepting comments on this proposal for 60 days and expects to finalize the amendment by July 2011.

Lead: RRP for Public and Commercial Buildings will apply lead-safe work practices and training requirements to public and commercial buildings.  The EPA has set deadlines to issue a proposal by December 15, 2011 and take final action by July 15, 2013.

NARI will be actively involved during the comment period for both of these amendments. The changes to the clearance procures are a huge change and will make the renovation process much more expensive with required dust wipe samples sent to an independent testing lab for verification that lead levels are below prescribed levels.  The current text is very confusing about the types of projects that this will affect, but it seems to be most projects!

In the publications made on April 23, 2010 the EPA asks for specific comments on proposals made in these amendments.  While anyone is free to make comments directly to the EPA, comments that come from an association, grouped together will carry more weight so we ask that you forward any comments directly to NARI so that we may compile an educated response to these amendments.

 

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