Step 9. If necessary, send post-mitigation samples to accredited laboratory for confirmatory 
analysis. 
Step 10. Mail or deliver final report to participant and landlord. (See Chapter 8 for Reporting.) 
A Syracuse Lead Dust Project staff member interacts with residents during sampling and miti¬ 
gation. This person is a certified inspector/risk assessor who collects the samples following the 
protocol in the QAPP and ensures that the samples are labeled and recorded correctly before 
sending them off for confirmatory analysis. He also sets up appointments and explains the ben¬ 
efits of the program and the cleaning process to participants. He makes the experience pleasant 
and positive for the resident and assures them that the information is confidential and will not 
jeopardize their tenancy at the property. As soon as results are available they are mailed to the 
resident and project staff visit the home if the resident decides to participate in the HEPA loan¬ 
er program. 
5.2 Visiting the Hdme (Step-by-step In-home Sampling) 
Syracuse usually allots about a half-hour for sampling a typical residence. Initially, sampling 
took about an hour, but Syracuse soon halved that time as staff became more familiar with the 
process and began using XRF to analyze samples offsite instead of at the residence. 
As previously discussed in Section 3.2, project staff first interviews the resident using the HEPA 
Vacuum Intake Questionnaire, a copy of which can be found at the end of this chapter. During 
the home visit, staff review the information with the resident and also visually examines the 
house, identifying the principal play areas and determining where children spend most of their 
time. By asking questions and observing current conditions in the house, high-risk or high-use 
areas are identified. 
Syracuse uses the same protocol for collecting samples, whether they are analyzed by traditional 
laboratory analysis, field portable XRF technology, or both. The field sampling technician col¬ 
lects dust wipe samples in accordance with the HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control 
Syracuse Uses Certified Risk Assessors 
N ew York State is one of 13 states that choose to follow federal regulations for lead hazard control 
activities rather than establish their own state regulatory programs. Syracuse, therefore, requires 
that their field sampling technicians be EPA-certified inspectors/risk assessors. An EPA lead inspector 
conducts a surface-by-surface investigation to determine whether lead-based paint is present in the home, 
how much is present, and where it is located. He determines the existence, nature, severity, and location 
of lead-based paint hazards in a residential dwelling. The assessor performs visual inspections, tests house¬ 
hold dust from floors and windows and other locations, and presents a report identifying the location of 
the types of lead-based paint hazards and ways to control them. 
The Syracuse Lead Dust Project initially contracted with an EPA-certified risk assessor but then trained 
one of its own staff to become certified, thereby realizing a substantial cost savings. 
Visit <www.epa.gov/lead/traincert.htm> for a map of the United States with links to state lead programs, 
or call 1-800-424-LEAD for information on the 13 EPA-run states (Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, 
Montana, North and South Dakota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, South Carolina, Washington, 
and Wyoming). 
3 a 
Chapter 5 
