What should I ask about a painting company’s lead-paint safety practices?

Painting firms that work on older homes meet lead-based coatings sooner or later. Ask the owner to describe the last time it happened. Who noticed, who was told, and what did the crew do next? A concrete story with named steps is more reassuring than a general statement that everyone is careful.

Ask for the written procedure and for training records for every person who sands, scrapes or strips. Look at the equipment: protective suits, vacuums, sheeting and the way waste leaves the site. Ask who audits the process and whether a customer, worker or inspector has ever raised a concern.

Your lawyer and a qualified safety adviser can tell you what rules apply and what the company must be able to show. In the meantime, ask about insurance claims, worker health complaints and any dispute with a customer or building owner. Consider how those exposures might follow the business to a new owner, and whether the purchase agreement should address them. Ask too whether the company has ever turned down a job because of the risk, since a willingness to say no shows how seriously it takes the issue.

Key takeaways

• Ask the owner to walk through a real lead-paint situation step by step.
• Request written procedures, training records and waste-handling records.
• Ask your lawyer how past exposure could pass to a new owner.
• Ask whether the company has ever refused a job on safety grounds.