The Syracuse lead dust technician asks residents a series of questions, including their thoughts 
on the effectiveness of the program and about using the HEPA vacuum. Another way the 
Syracuse team measures program success is by tracking the number of lead dust walk-throughs 
conducted, and the number of residents that use the HEPA vacuums through the loaner pro¬ 
gram. In addition, the Syracuse team conducts post-mitigation sampling (see section 5.1) and 
encourages residents to continue lead dust mitigation activities such as using a HEPA vacuum 
(see section 7.1). See Chapter 9 for more information on program evaluation. 
3.3 Selecting Project Partners 
Syracuse has successfully involved people with diverse and specialized skills in its lead dust proj¬ 
ect. These include people with skills in program management, risk assessment, and communica¬ 
tions. Syracuse has effectively partnered with several organizations, including EPA, an analytical 
laboratory, the Onondaga County Health Department, and the seven CBOs. Lead Safe, LLC, a 
contractor, handles coordination and implementation of sampling efforts, and coordinates with 
the contracted laboratory. 
Testing Laboratory 
Syracuse established the following requirements for laboratory 
testing services: 
• The selected laboratory must be certified by EPA s National 
Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program (NLLAP). 
• The selected laboratory firm will provide the City of 
Syracuse Lead Dust Project with a copy of its accreditation 
from the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). 
• The laboratory must show proficiency during the past five 
consecutive years in the Environmental Lead Proficiency 
Testing (ELPAT) Program which is administered by the 
AIHA for paint chips, dust wipes, and soils. 
• Laboratories must be New York State Department of Health ELPAT-approved. 
• The selected firm is required to comply with the City of Syracuse s equal employment 
opportunity requirements. A copy of these requirements can be obtained from the Office of 
Economic Development upon request. 
Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) 
Like most urban areas in the United States, the City of Syracuse has experienced a dramatic 
influx of immigrants from Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe. These ethnic populations 
have been hard to reach with information about lead exposure, because of language barriers and 
unfamiliarity with the issue. Preoccupied with pressing issues of daily survival, new immigrants 
often fear government agencies or programs. Establishing a link to these people through com¬ 
munity organizations that have bilingual members is key to reaching this population. 
The CBOs involved in the Syracuse Lead Dust Project offer a diverse array of services to help 
immigrants, including teaching English as a second language, child care, and job placement 
S amples from potentially lead 
dust-contaminated houses 
should be sent to a testing laboratory 
recognized by EPA s National Lead 
Laboratory Accreditation Program 
(NLLAP). Labs accredited by the 
NLLAP are proficient in testing for 
lead in air, paint, soil, or dust (see 
Selecting a Laboratory for Lead Analysis: 
The EPA National Lead Laboratory 
Accreditation Program, EPA 747-L-99- 
002, April 1999). 
Lead 
Dust Project Overview 
2 1 
