Senators Secure Millions for Lead Abatement Jobs
Calling lead poisoning an “irreversible, preventable tragedy“, Senators Schumer and Gillibrand helped secure several multi-million dollar lead abatement grants throughout New York State. What does this mean for lead abatement jobs?
Lead poisoning is an incredibly serious problem; exposure is not ‘just’ devastating for developing children, but you can make a case it profoundly damaged American society for much of the 20th century.
Senators Schumer and Gillibrand announced grants in several New York regions, including:
- $3.2 Million for the Binghamton area, affecting 155 housing units
- $3.6 Million for the City of Rochester, affecting 235 homes (and inspecting 100 more)
- $2.2 Million for Chautauqua County, affecting 150 housing units
These three lead abatement grants will create jobs throughout New York State while preventing lead poisoning in future generations.
Credit: Lamiot, CC BY SA 3.0
How can you find work making this happen?
Do I Need Certification?
You don’t personally need certification to get a job with a certified lead abatement company. The company itself — defined by the EPA as “any firm that is paid to perform work that disturbs lead paint or conducts lead dust sampling in housing or child-occupied facilities built before 1978” — needs up-to-date certification to begin work, and to train their employees in lead-safe work practices.
That said, they will need a certified ‘renovator’ on site while work is conducted. Why not you?
Becoming a Certified Renovator
You’ll need to take an eight hour course from an EPA-certified renovation, repair, and painting (RRP) trainer. Companies need workers with this certification to work on lead abatement projects (or any project which disturbs lead paint).
Follow these EPA links to find lead abatement certification training in the affected areas:
Most trainers offer both eight-hour certification and four-hour refresher courses. We strongly recommend you secure this training, if possible, to boost job search success and earnings.
What You Need to Do:
Two things can help you get certified faster and be first in line for these jobs, when they open up:
- Look over these materials — curated by the State of New York — to get a head start on lead training. (Memorizing key facts and procedures will also help you shine in job interviews.)
- Registered users should set up a job alert for lead abatement jobs in your area. It’s a free service from NewYorkJobs to get you there first.
It’s not every day you can boost your career prospects while doing real, concrete work to improve lives for generations of New Yorkers. If you’re looking for work in construction, renovation, painting, property management, or other affected fields, this is the best news you’ve had in weeks.
Credit: The EI Group
