- 24/7 Emergency Response
Commercial · Institutional · Government
Contained 🡢 HEPA-Cleaned 🡢 Cleared.
1
XRF, paint-chip or dust sampling by a certified inspector or risk assessor.
Removal, enclosure, encapsulation or component replacement.
3
Containment, HEPA, wet methods and worker protection.
4
Clearance dust-wipe testing before the area is released.
Painted walls, trim, doors, windows and steel can contain lead. If the work will sand, scrape, cut or demolish those surfaces, lead has to be identified and controlled first.
EPA lead-safe requirements apply to renovation in child-occupied facilities built before 1978. Peeling or chipping paint in a space where young children spend time should be addressed promptly.
Cutting, welding or torching lead-coated steel creates hazardous fumes. Lead coatings need to be removed or controlled before steel work or demolition, with OSHA exposure controls for the crew.
Peeling, chipping or failed coatings in older lofts, institutional buildings and mechanical spaces create dust that settles on surfaces. Testing tells you whether it is lead and how to respond.
A lead inspection that identifies hazards often triggers a remediation scope and budget before a sale, lease or financing closes. We price against the report.
| Rule | Applies to | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| OSHA Lead in Construction (29 CFR 1926.62) | Construction work that disturbs lead, in any building | Exposure assessment, respirators and hygiene facilities, medical surveillance when triggered. Permissible exposure limit 50 µg/m³ (8-hour average); action level 30 µg/m³ |
| EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule | Renovation in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities | Certified firm and renovators, lead-safe work practices, cleaning verification. Most other commercial buildings are generally outside RRP |
| EPA lead abatement certification (40 CFR 745, Subpart L) | Lead abatement in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities | Certified firm and certified supervisors/workers; clearance required |
| Hazardous-waste rules (EPA RCRA / NYSDEC) | Lead-paint debris and residues | Waste characterization (TCLP) decides whether debris is hazardous waste |
| NYC lead-paint laws (e.g., Local Law 1 of 2004) | Primarily residential multiple dwellings | Not the driver on most commercial projects; child-care and school rules may add requirements [VERIFY] |
Lead work is controlled by dust. Every step below exists to keep lead out of the air, off the occupants and out of the waste stream.
A certified inspector or risk assessor tests painted surfaces by XRF, paint-chip or dust sampling. Results define what is lead, where it is, and which method fits. We coordinate this step and work from the report.
We select removal, enclosure, encapsulation or replacement for each component, write the work plan and schedule, and identify the occupant protections needed in occupied buildings.
Poly containment, negative air with HEPA filtration, a clean decontamination and wash area, respirators and protective clothing. Exposure assessment and medical surveillance follow OSHA's lead-in-construction standard.
Wet scraping, HEPA-shrouded tools and chemical strippers where appropriate. We do not use dry sanding, open-flame burning or uncontrolled heat guns, because they spread lead dust and fumes.
HEPA vacuuming and wet wiping, followed by dust-wipe clearance sampling analyzed by an accredited laboratory. The area is released only when results meet the clearance standard.
Debris is characterized so it goes to the right facility; some lead-paint debris is hazardous waste and some is not. We close out with test results, clearance reports, disposal records and photos.
| Method | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Removal | Surfaces that will be demolished or heavily modified; deteriorated paint; steel before cutting | Most disruptive and generates the most waste; permanent |
| Enclosure | Intact painted walls or ceilings that can be covered with a durable barrier | Lead stays in place and needs monitoring and records; future disturbance is a risk |
| Encapsulation | Sound paint on stable substrates where a coating can bond | Depends on surface condition; periodic inspection required |
| Component replacement | Doors, windows and trim with lead paint | Higher material cost; fast and clean once components are out |
Surfaces cleaned and cleared
Substrates repaired or replaced
New coatings and finishes applied
— the rebuild
Lead-paint work usually happens ahead of repairs, repainting or demolition. Once surfaces are cleaned and cleared, the space needs sound substrates, new coatings and finishes, and the order matters: new paint goes on only after clearance confirms the work area is clean.
CRE can carry the project from lead control through the rebuild, so schedules, access and documentation stay in one set of hands. If another contractor refinishes the space, we hand over the clearance results.
Our lead work is commercial, institutional and industrial. We plan around occupants, building operations and the sensitivity of the spaces we work in.
We manage the abatement scope, the testing and clearance coordination and the licensed specialists involved, and we answer for the result. One contractor, one schedule, one set of closeout documents.
Containment, negative air, HEPA, wet methods and decon procedures protect your occupants and our crews. We prohibit the methods that spread lead dust.
Older buildings often carry lead, asbestos and PCB-containing materials together. We plan them in one sequence so you do not pay for three mobilizations.
NYS DOL Asbestos Handling License #[LICENSE NUMBER · Fully bonded & insured · OSHA 40-Hour HAZWOPER-trained crews [CONFIRM]
Refinishing and rebuilding once lead-painted surfaces are cleared.
Many pre-1978 buildings contain asbestos and lead paint together. We plan both in one containment sequence.
Lead-contaminated debris, PCBs and other regulated materials, characterized and disposed of correctly.
PCB ballasts, mercury equipment, drums and other regulated materials often show up in the same survey.
Help working out which lead rules apply to your building and how they affect your schedule.
Lead is a pre-1978 problem, and New York has plenty of pre-1978 buildings. In Manhattan we work in converted lofts, office floors and institutional buildings; in Brooklyn and Queens, industrial buildings and steel structures; across Long Island, Westchester and the wider Tri-State area, schools and municipal buildings.
Requirements differ depending on whether the building is a child-occupied facility, so we confirm that first.
Beyond the five boroughs
Not automatically. Intact, well-maintained lead paint can often be managed in place. Abatement is warranted when paint is deteriorating, when renovation or demolition will disturb it, or when the building is a child-occupied facility with hazards. Testing tells you where you stand.
Generally only if the building is pre-1978 housing or a child-occupied facility such as a school or daycare. Most other commercial buildings fall outside RRP. OSHA’s lead-in-construction standard still protects workers on any job that disturbs lead, so containment and exposure controls apply either way. We confirm the rules for your building during scoping.
No. CRE works on commercial, institutional and government properties. Residential lead violations are handled by contractors who specialize in residential work.
A certified inspector or risk assessor uses XRF analysis, paint-chip sampling or dust-wipe sampling. Results identify which components contain lead and at what level, which determines the abatement method and the worker protections required.
Debris is characterized before disposal. Some lead-paint debris qualifies as hazardous waste and some does not; laboratory testing (TCLP) decides. We handle the characterization, packaging and documentation so the waste goes to the right facility.
The quantity and condition of the paint, the substrate, the removal method, containment and occupancy requirements, and the waste classification. Steel and masonry are different jobs from drywall and trim. Send the lead report and the scope, and we will price against it.
Yes. CRE performs commercial reconstruction, so substrates, coatings and finishes can be restored after lead work under the same schedule. If another contractor handles the finish work, we hand over the clearance results.
— Get a Quote
Tell us about the building, the paint condition and your schedule. Send any lead inspection or XRF report you have. We will respond with next steps the same business day.
Call 24/7
(000) 000-0000
