Five years have come and gone! EPA's Renovate, Repair, and Painting Rule is once again, in full effect as contractors and facility managers in the U.S. have begun to renew their 2010 firm certifications and their Initial Lead Safe Renovator certifications. Per EPA regulation, 40 CFR, Part 745, if an individual does not take an EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (RRP) refresher course and re-certify prior to their current expiration date, they will have to start the process all over! This means, taking the eight-hour initial course all over again. During this lapse, all work governed by the rule, will be in violation and there will be risk for penalties, litigation, guilt, time, and money! So, if you think you will be able to hold off on renewing, think again! The time is now! With over 40,000 students previously trained during the initial period, LEW Corp., the environmental consulting, remediation, and training provider, has been gearing up for the influx of students headed their way for RRP refresher courses. Classes have already started to fill up in their advertised courses, occurring in N.J., N.Y., Pennsylvania, Boston, and Connecticut with new and prior students. They also plan to hold refresher courses in more of the major cities of the U.S. throughout the course of 2015 and into 2016. When signing up to refresh, contractors should consider training with the most knowledgeable lead-based paint training provider they can identify! A well experienced training provider will have recognized instructors who have decades of real life and practical experiences that they can share, as well as, give the greatest level of expertise with their in-person interactive training. Such a trainer will become the contractors lead regulation resource during the class as well as into the future, so the proper trainer is critical so contractors feel comfortable and confident when working on pre-1978 homes that will disturb or are presumed to disturb lead paint, dust and minimize the risk of child lead poisoning, which is the primary purpose of this course. When looking for an RRP training provider, look for a provider, such as LEW Corp., where each student will receive a free compliance assistance and record retention CD, which is a $50 value. The instructors will instill the importance of remaining in compliance with EPA's RRP Rule and answer any questions that may arise before, during, and long after the course. A qualified and competent EPA RRP should instruct you on the RRP's three simple steps to compliance; training, record retention and work practices. A qualified RRP instructor should also be able to present courses in both English and Spanish. When refreshing, don't just sit through a class, register with a training provider who provides real instruction and actually educates you on the importance of how, what and when to remain compliant and profitable. To register for LEW Corporation Refresher courses, go to www.RRPTrainer.com. For questions, call 1-800-783-0567, Ext. 33 or email [email protected]. Lee Wasserman is the president of LEW Corp., Mountainside, N.J.