Lead Poisoning Prevention

Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

Picture of lead level in paint being determined by an XRF device.

Phone: 585 753-5087
Fax: 585 753-5025

Maintains a database registry of more than 90,000 children who have been tested for elevated blood lead levels throughout Monroe County that includes all medical and environmental management information on each child.
Provides medical case management and educational outreach to families for all children with blood lead levels >=10 µg/dl (micrograms per deciliter).
Conducts environmental investigations of primary and secondary residences of children 0-72 months of age with venous lead levels >=15 µg/dl. Investigations include a full educational intervention as well as the identification of conditions conducive to lead poisoning (lead hazards), issuance of a Notice and Demand to the property owner to eliminate the hazards by a specified time-frame, and reinvestigation to verify compliance. Each unit must also pass a “Lead Dust Clearance.” The Lead Program enforces the NYS Sanitary Code Part 67-2, the Monroe County Sanitary Code and Public Health Law relating to lead hazards.
The Notice and Demand requires Lead Safe Work Practices Training for all persons conducting the lead hazard control work. The purpose of this class is to provide workers with information they need to understand that lead-based paint can create health hazards and using proper work practices can control hazards. The Monroe County Department of Public Health provides this training for FREE.
Provides community-wide education on lead poisoning issues to the general public, health professionals, property owners, painting contractors, parent groups, etc. This is provided in the form of formal presentations, informational kiosks throughout Monroe County, distribution of informational brochures, Health Fairs, Home Shows and Exhibitions.
Responds to complaints of improper/unsafe lead hazard control activities and issues Cease and Desist Orders to stop unsafe practices, order cleanup of lead contamination, and assures that cleanup is performed properly.
Administered the HUD Lead Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program from March 2003 - September 2005.

Recent Toy Recalls for Lead Content

In response to an increased number of toy recalls related to lead, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) has provided a Lead Hazards Recall Page. You can find pictures and links to recent toy recalls for lead, as well as fact sheets for parents and health care providers.

NYSDOH Lead Hazards Product Recalls

Free 6-Hour Lead Safe Work Practices Training

Picture of person wet scraping lead based paint

The Monroe County Department of Public Health Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program is sponsoring FREE 6-Hour Lead Safe Work Practices Training for Renovators and Remodelers. PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

This 6-hour course is designed to teach lead safe work practices to renovators, remodelers, painters, carpenters, homeowners, landlords and those who regularly disturb lead-based paint. Training provides information on containment, minimization and cleanup of lead hazards.
This course is also designed for workers who perform paint film stabilization, interim controls, or standard treatments for federally assisted activities pursuant to 24 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 35. Completion of this course satisfies HUD requirements for interim controls training in federally assisted housing; it does not provide certification or licensing of lead inspectors, risk assessors, abatement workers or supervisors.

Download the Free Lead Safe Work Practices Training flyer (26k PDF) with upcoming dates and a telephone number for pre-registration and additional information.

Lead Hazard Control Grant

The Monroe County Department of Public Health was awarded a “Lead Hazard Control Grant” from The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Healthy Homes & Lead Hazard Control. NOTE: Applications for this grant are no longer being accepted as grant capacity was reached in March, 2009.

This grant will provide reimbursable lead hazard control grants to City of Rochester home owners of up to $5000 per unit. Grants are available to property owners of both rental and owner occupied units in the City of Rochester. A total of 370 housing units will be made lead safe during the November 1, 2006 – October 31, 2009 grant period. Vacant units will be prioritized in order to emphasize primary prevention of lead poisoning.

In addition to lead hazard control in housing units, Public Health staff will conduct lead prevention outreach at community events, health fairs, with local neighborhood groups, health care providers, and pre-schools. Free training in Lead-Safe Work Practices for homeowners and renovators will be provided, along with training in EPA Lead Abatement for low income residents working in the City of Rochester.

Monroe County is required to maintain a publicly available listing of units in which lead hazards have been controlled under the Monroe County Lead Based Paint Hazard Control Housing and Urban Development Grant (NYLHB0333-06). This listing is updated monthly and may not be current at the time of viewing.

MCDPH-HUD Lead Hazard Control Housing Listing (42k PDF)

EPA Disclosure Information for Property Owners, Renters and Renovators

Cover of the Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home brochure.

Two federal laws regarding notification and disclosure of lead information may affect you before you sell or remodel your property:

BEFORE YOU SELL/RENT
Effective December 1996, as per Section 1018 of the Residential Lead Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992, sellers and landlords must disclose information on known lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards in residential housing, and provide any available reports to prospective buyers or renters. In addition, sellers and landlords must give buyers and renters the pamphlet entitled “Protect Your Family from Lead in your Home” and keep a record of such distribution. All real estate closings should include a disclosure form as part of the transaction.
BEFORE YOU RENOVATE
Effective June 1999, as per Section 406(b) of the Toxic Substance Control Act, Title IV- Lead Exposure Reduction, renovators and remodelers working for compensation, are required to distribute the same pamphlet as above (“Protect Your Family from Lead in your Home”) to owners and occupants of most residential housing built before 1978, before commencing renovation activity. Minor housing repairs, maintenance, and emergency repairs are excluded from this notification requirement.

Informational Links