EPA LEAD INSPECTOR EXAM PREP QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
Lead-based paint (LBP) - answers-Any varnish, shallac, or coating that
contains either- 1.0 mg/cm2 - 0.5 % by weight - 5000 ppm - Older
instruments could not read accurately at 0.7, so the lead standard was
updated to 1.0
Dust sample clearance values - answers-- Floors: 40 μg/ft2 > 10 μg/ft2 (10
μg/ft2 in NY) - Windows: 250 μg/ft2 > 100 μg/ft2 (50 μg/ft2 in NY) - Window
wells (troughs): 400 μg/ft2 (100 μg/ft2 in NY) - Samples must be at 1 sq ft
> 2 sq ft (can be reduced to 1 sq ft if within 10 μg)
EPA Soil Regulations - answers-- 400 ppm for playgrounds/children's
areas - 1200 ppm for rest of yard - There must be 9 sq ft of soil to
classify with soil testing - At 5000 ppm, MUST remediate/abate (remove
& replace, paving, or bioremediation)
Lab sampling technique - answers-- AAS (Atomic Absorption
Spectrometry) - Sample is placed into a furnace and vaporized ... light
is shone through to give a quantitative result
XRF - answers-- X-ray fluorescence - Utilizes radioactive isotopes
(unstable material trying to reach stability) - Cobalt-57 (half-life of 9
months) and cadmium-109 (half-life of 15 months) are the two sources
(where radiation originates) - Emits gamma rays but will read X-rays
(backscatters) - Ionizing radiation from the removal of electrons due to
interactions with radiation
LBP Hazard - answers-ANY condition that causes exposure to lead
LBP inspection - answers-a surface-by-surface investigation to
determine the presence of lead
CPSC - answers-- Consumer Product Safety Commission - Set a
lead paint standard: cannot contain 0.06% lead by weight ...
updated to 0.009% - The commission banned lead-based paint in
1978
True/False: Dust sampling only done for hazard assessments - answers-
True; only risk assessors take samples to determine likelihood of
coming into contact with contaminants
What kind of sampling must be done for inspections? - answers-
Random ... repeats must be annotated then you move onto the next
, HUD Guidelines for abatement - answers-Must last 20 years. Includes the
following procedures: - Removal - Enclosure - Replacement -
Encapsulation Painting over is a temporary fix!
Water standards for lead - answers-- 15 ppb under the Clean Water Act
(CWA) - 5 ppb under the FDA standard (bottled water) *These are the
ONLY instances where ppb is used
Why was lead used so much? - answers-- Durable - Colorful - Anti-
corrosive - Anti-fungal - Drying agent
What does RRP do? - answers-- Renovation, Repairing, and Painting
program - Provided enforcement to Title X in 2010 ... $37,500 fines for
violation - Dust sampling technicians can only sample for RRP projects
What must you do if a pre-1978 site is not tested? - answers-Presume
lead-based paint.
Where is LBP still allowed? - answers-Commercial purposes/boats
What are the major industrial uses of lead? - answers-Present - Electrical
batteries - Chemical additives Past - Paint additive - Gasoline additive
(now in soil ... doesn't permeate quickly, so sample TOP portions (12 in)) -
Solder/pipes
What are the common pathways of contamination? - answers-- For
children under 6, hand-to-mouth contact from DUST ... lead tastes sweet
(pica is the term for consumption of non-food items) - For adults,
occupational exposure (take-home lead
... pets can contribute too)
Chronic vs. acute exposure - answers-- Chronic: low dose, long period -
Acute: high dose, short period
How do you treat lead poisoning? - answers-- Chelation therapy -
Binding agents attach to lead in the blood, allowing it to be excreted -
Chelating agents cannot distinguish lead from minerals, so the therapy
causes demineralization - Done at a blood lead of 45 μg/dL
Where does lead contamination in water come from? - answers-Solder,
brass fittings and fixtures, and service lines
How much lead is present in homes? - answers-- 87% of homes pre-1940
- 69% of homes pre-1960 - 24% of homes pre-1978
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
Lead-based paint (LBP) - answers-Any varnish, shallac, or coating that
contains either- 1.0 mg/cm2 - 0.5 % by weight - 5000 ppm - Older
instruments could not read accurately at 0.7, so the lead standard was
updated to 1.0
Dust sample clearance values - answers-- Floors: 40 μg/ft2 > 10 μg/ft2 (10
μg/ft2 in NY) - Windows: 250 μg/ft2 > 100 μg/ft2 (50 μg/ft2 in NY) - Window
wells (troughs): 400 μg/ft2 (100 μg/ft2 in NY) - Samples must be at 1 sq ft
> 2 sq ft (can be reduced to 1 sq ft if within 10 μg)
EPA Soil Regulations - answers-- 400 ppm for playgrounds/children's
areas - 1200 ppm for rest of yard - There must be 9 sq ft of soil to
classify with soil testing - At 5000 ppm, MUST remediate/abate (remove
& replace, paving, or bioremediation)
Lab sampling technique - answers-- AAS (Atomic Absorption
Spectrometry) - Sample is placed into a furnace and vaporized ... light
is shone through to give a quantitative result
XRF - answers-- X-ray fluorescence - Utilizes radioactive isotopes
(unstable material trying to reach stability) - Cobalt-57 (half-life of 9
months) and cadmium-109 (half-life of 15 months) are the two sources
(where radiation originates) - Emits gamma rays but will read X-rays
(backscatters) - Ionizing radiation from the removal of electrons due to
interactions with radiation
LBP Hazard - answers-ANY condition that causes exposure to lead
LBP inspection - answers-a surface-by-surface investigation to
determine the presence of lead
CPSC - answers-- Consumer Product Safety Commission - Set a
lead paint standard: cannot contain 0.06% lead by weight ...
updated to 0.009% - The commission banned lead-based paint in
1978
True/False: Dust sampling only done for hazard assessments - answers-
True; only risk assessors take samples to determine likelihood of
coming into contact with contaminants
What kind of sampling must be done for inspections? - answers-
Random ... repeats must be annotated then you move onto the next
, HUD Guidelines for abatement - answers-Must last 20 years. Includes the
following procedures: - Removal - Enclosure - Replacement -
Encapsulation Painting over is a temporary fix!
Water standards for lead - answers-- 15 ppb under the Clean Water Act
(CWA) - 5 ppb under the FDA standard (bottled water) *These are the
ONLY instances where ppb is used
Why was lead used so much? - answers-- Durable - Colorful - Anti-
corrosive - Anti-fungal - Drying agent
What does RRP do? - answers-- Renovation, Repairing, and Painting
program - Provided enforcement to Title X in 2010 ... $37,500 fines for
violation - Dust sampling technicians can only sample for RRP projects
What must you do if a pre-1978 site is not tested? - answers-Presume
lead-based paint.
Where is LBP still allowed? - answers-Commercial purposes/boats
What are the major industrial uses of lead? - answers-Present - Electrical
batteries - Chemical additives Past - Paint additive - Gasoline additive
(now in soil ... doesn't permeate quickly, so sample TOP portions (12 in)) -
Solder/pipes
What are the common pathways of contamination? - answers-- For
children under 6, hand-to-mouth contact from DUST ... lead tastes sweet
(pica is the term for consumption of non-food items) - For adults,
occupational exposure (take-home lead
... pets can contribute too)
Chronic vs. acute exposure - answers-- Chronic: low dose, long period -
Acute: high dose, short period
How do you treat lead poisoning? - answers-- Chelation therapy -
Binding agents attach to lead in the blood, allowing it to be excreted -
Chelating agents cannot distinguish lead from minerals, so the therapy
causes demineralization - Done at a blood lead of 45 μg/dL
Where does lead contamination in water come from? - answers-Solder,
brass fittings and fixtures, and service lines
How much lead is present in homes? - answers-- 87% of homes pre-1940
- 69% of homes pre-1960 - 24% of homes pre-1978
