Local Training and Outreach

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching a training and outreach initiative focused on reducing childhood lead exposure in environmentally overburdened and underserved communities throughout the United States. Para información en español sobre la capacitación y alcance público local. 

This new initiative is designed to encourage renovation, repair and painting (RRP) firms and contractors working on pre-1978 homes to become certified. It will also reach community leaders and the general public to raise awareness about lead exposure, the importance of the RRP program and lead-safe work practices.

EPA will be offering free RRP trainings and free virtual lead awareness webinars in: Albuquerque, NM; in the the Bismarck-Mandan, ND area; Greater Hartford, CT; Los Angeles County, CA (specifically, south central neighborhoods); Miami, FL; Peoria, IL; Reading, PA; San Juan, PR; San Diego County, CA; Treasure Valley Metro Area, ID; and Trenton, NJ..

• If you are a contractor working on pre-1978 homes and live and/or work in one of the listed communities, register for an upcoming free in-person RRP training.
• If you are a community leader or community member interested in learning about the Lead Awareness Curriculum and/or learning about lead in general, register for one of our upcoming free webinars.

RRP Training for Contractors

As a contractor, you play a critical role in helping to prevent lead exposure. Ordinary renovation and maintenance activities can create toxic lead dust that can harm your customers, children, workers and even yourself. By following lead-safe work practices, you can prevent lead hazards and reduce childhood lead exposure.

In general, anyone who is paid to perform work that disturbs paint in housing and child-occupied facilities built before 1978 must be certified. This includes all firms, even sole proprietorships. If you are a renovation firm or contractor we recommend you read more about EPA’s RRP Program to understand how to fulfill your legal requirements to protect yourself, your employees, and your clients from the dangers of lead exposure.

In October-November 2021, EPA will offer free RRP training in several communities for contractors who wish to become RRP certified. In some locations, the RRP training is being offered in Spanish.

Please register for the 2021 English-language RRP trainings:

• Trenton, NJ  
  • October 28
  • October 29
• Reading, PA on October 28
• Miami, FL - Register online
  • November 4 
  • NEW! December 11
• Peoria, IL on October 26 
• Albuquerque, NM  
  • October 1 
  • October 15 
  • November 5
  • November 19
• Bismarck, ND on October 30  
• Oceanside, CA  
  • November 6
  • November 30

Please register for the 2021 Spanish-language RRP trainings:

• Hartford, CT on October 21 
• San Juan, PR
  • October 26
  • October 28 
  • October 30 
  • November 2 
  • November 4
• Trenton, NJ on October 30 
• Reading, PA on November 17 
• Miami, FL on November 5 
• NEW! Boise, ID on December 8 - Call (513) 372-6232 or Register online with coupon code Leadsafety21
• Los Angeles, CA
  • November 9
  • November 18

Virtual Lead Awareness Curriculum Webinars

The Lead Awareness Curriculum is a robust set of educational tools designed to provide community leaders with practical resources to:

• Raise awareness about childhood lead exposure;
• Expand the understanding of lead’s potential impacts on children’s health and cultural practices; and
• Encourage actions that can be taken to reduce and/or prevent childhood lead exposure.

The Curriculum is designed to be taught by community leaders (educators, public health advocates, environmental justice advocates, outreach specialists, environmental staff, social workers, community health workers, youth leaders, local government officials) with experience educating and training members of their community but does not require instructors to be experts on lead or lead exposure. To learn about lead, its impacts and actions to prevent lead exposure and lead poisoning, register for one of our Understand Lead webinars.

Lead Awareness Curriculum Train-the-Trainer Sessions

To learn how to use and modify the Lead Awareness Curriculum to teach your community, register below to attend an upcoming 2-hour training:

• Thursday, October 14, 2021 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm ET 
• Tuesday, October 19, 2021 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm ET
• Wednesday, October 27, 2021 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm ET
• Wednesday, November 3, 2021 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm ET
• Tuesday, November 9, 2021 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm ET

Virtual Understand Lead Webinars for Community Members

The Understanding Lead webinars are designed for anyone interested in learning about lead, its impacts, and preventing potential lead exposure and lead poisoning. The 90-minute webinars will be based on Module 1: Understanding Lead of the Lead Awareness Curriculum and by the end of the webinar participants will: 

• Recognize potential sources of lead exposure;
• Understand impacts and effects of lead exposure;
• Learn simple actions to reduce lead exposure; and
• Know the importance of testing children’s blood lead levels.

To learn more about lead, register below to attend an upcoming 90-minute Understanding Lead webinar:

• Wednesday, October 20, 2021 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm ET
• Thursday, October 28, 2021 from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm ET