Section 845.265  Lead Work Area Isolation, Preparation and Containment

a)         Work area isolation, preparation and containment shall be in accordance with the written Work Practice and Occupant Protection Program required by Section 845.255 and the procedures specified in this Section.

b)         The licensed lead abatement contractor shall ensure that unauthorized persons are not permitted to enter a work area where lead mitigation or lead abatement is occurring.

c)         The licensed lead abatement contractor shall ensure that all warning signs required by Section 845.255 are clearly displayed, identifying each work area within the regulated facility.

d)         At all times when a lead abatement or lead mitigation project is being conducted in a regulated facility, the lead abatement contractor shall ensure that the following conditions are met:

1)         The Department or its delegate agency shall have access to the work area at any time during a lead abatement or lead mitigation project to determine compliance with the requirements of this Part;

2)         The lead abatement contractor shall ensure that occupants and pets use alternative entrances and exits that do not require passage through the work area.  The lead abatement contractor shall use all reasonable efforts to create an uncontaminated passage for entrance and exit of all building occupants;

3)         If the entrance to and exit from a building can only be through the work area, the lead abatement contractor shall provide an enclosed passage through the work area, which serves as an air-tight isolation barrier from the work area and is to be used for entrance and exit from the building. The airtight enclosed passage must remain in place until work is complete, final cleanup is conducted, and the final clearance evaluation required by Section 845.225 has been successfully completed;

4)         Restricted access to each work area shall remain in place until work is completed, final cleanup is conducted, and the final clearance evaluation samples have met the minimum requirements set forth in Section 845.225.

e)         The lead abatement contractor shall conduct pre-cleaning of each work area as stated in the Work Practice and Occupant Protection Plan required by Section 845.255, including at least the following:

1)         Turn off all forced air ventilation in the work area and seal exhaust and intake points in the work area;

2)         Pre-clean movable objects using HEPA-filtered vacuum equipment or wet cleaning methods, and remove those objects from the work area;

3)         Clean upholstered furniture, drapes and removable carpeting twice using HEPA-filtered vacuum equipment before removal from the work area;

4)         Pre-clean fixed objects using HEPA-filtered vacuum equipment and/or wet cleaning methods; and

5)         Pre-clean the work area using HEPA-filtered vacuum equipment or wet cleaning methods.

f)         Before beginning lead abatement or lead mitigation in an interior work area, a licensed lead abatement contractor shall:

1)         Ensure that access to the work area is restricted as required in subsection (d);

2)         Ensure that all requirements of work area pre-cleaning specified in subsection (e) have been completed;

3)         Cover and seal all objects that cannot be moved, such as radiators, refrigerators, stoves, kitchen cabinets, built-in furniture, and bookcases, with plastic sheeting at least 6 mils thick;

4)         Cover floors in the work area with plastic sheeting at least 6 mils thick and seal in place. For projects that will last more than one day, 2 layers of plastic sheeting 6 mils thick shall be installed.  At the end of each work day, the top layer of plastic sheeting shall be cleaned, removed and disposed of in accordance Section 845.285(b) and replaced; and

5)         Protect carpeting to ensure that contamination does not occur from the lead abatement or lead mitigation activities.  Carpeting is subject to sampling outlined in Section 845.225, and the regulatory limits of lead for floors specified in Section 845.205(c).

g)         Before beginning lead abatement or lead mitigation in an exterior work area, a licensed lead abatement contractor shall ensure:

1)         Access to the work area is  restricted as required in subsection (d) of this Section.

2)         All requirements of work area pre-cleaning specified in subsection (e) of this Section have been completed, including removal and disposal of visible paint chips and debris that are on the ground.

3)         When waste and debris will be generated from the lead mitigation or lead abatement activities, a layer of plastic sheeting at least 6 mils thick shall be installed to collect any debris.  The plastic sheeting shall be attached below the surface that is to be abated or mitigated to collect and contain any waste and debris.  The plastic sheeting shall extend out from the foundation at least 3 feet per story being abated or mitigated, with a minimum of 6 feet and a maximum of 20 feet. If these horizontal standards cannot be met for any reason, the lead abatement contractor shall erect vertical containment or equivalent extra precautions to contain the work area and ensure that dust and debris does not contaminate adjacent buildings or migrate to adjacent properties.

A)        When liquid waste is produced,  the lead abatement contractor shall install a waste collection system capable of handling the amount of liquid waste to be generated by the procedure. 

B)        The waste collection system shall be attached below the surface being abated or mitigated to assure that liquid waste does not leak from the contained work area.

4)         Containment systems shall be installed to withstand weather conditions and to contain all debris and waste generated during the lead abatement or lead mitigation activities.  If inclement weather conditions persist during lead abatement or lead mitigation activities, the lead abatement contractor shall erect vertical containment or equivalent extra precautions to contain the work area and ensure that dust and debris does not contaminate adjacent buildings or migrate to adjacent properties.

5)         If the lead abatement contractor is to employ vacuum blasting or contained hydro-blasting, the interior side of windows shall be sealed with at least 2 layers of plastic sheeting at least 6 mils thick.

6)         Plastic containment barriers that cannot be secured to prevent unauthorized access in the absence of the lead abatement contractor shall be cleaned, removed and disposed of in accordance with Section 845.285(c) and replaced daily.

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