EPA Lead Risk Assessor study plan
EPA Lead Risk Assessor · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Federal, State, and Local Regulatory Requirements (TSCA Title IV Sections 402/404/406, 40 CFR Part 745, HUD requirements, notification, certification, and recordkeeping)
Map TSCA Title IV Sections 402, 404, and 406 to the specific 40 CFR Part 745 provisions that implement each, stating in one sentence what activity each section governs
Construct a deadline-and-retention table covering notification timing, certification renewal, and recordkeeping retention, citing the governing citation for each row
Differentiate the statutory definitions of inspection, risk assessment, abatement, and interim control, and state which credentialed role may perform each
Explain how a state assuming federal program authorization changes which rules apply, and describe how to verify the governing authority for a given address
Your checkpoint
A single-page "who regulates what, when" reference sheet covering Sections 402/404/406 and Part 745 deadlines, plus a 15-question self-quiz written from that sheet and answered at 90% or better
Federal, State, and Local Regulatory Requirements (TSCA Title IV Sections 402/404/406, 40 CFR Part 745, HUD requirements, notification, certification, and recordkeeping) & Lead-Based Paint Inspection Methods and Equipment (XRF operation and calibration, paint chip sampling, substrate correction, false positives/negatives)
Sequence the XRF setup, verification, and calibration-check steps in the order required before and during a paint inspection
Explain the purpose of substrate correction and demonstrate applying it to a set of field readings taken over drywall, plaster, and wood
Classify practice readings into positive, negative, and inconclusive categories, and state the conditions under which a paint chip sample must be collected to confirm
Distinguish the certification categories and their scope of work, and identify the prerequisites for the risk assessor credential
List the elements a compliant inspection report must contain and identify which are regulatory versus best practice
Your checkpoint
A 25-item XRF interpretation worksheet the learner writes and solves, including at least five substrate-correction scenarios, scored at 90% or better
Lead-Based Paint Inspection Methods and Equipment (XRF operation and calibration, paint chip sampling, substrate correction, false positives/negatives) & Dust, Soil, and Water Sampling Protocols (collection methods, wipe and composite sampling, clearance standards, laboratory analysis and QA/QC)
Calculate component-level lead loading from field measurements and compare results against the applicable clearance and hazard standards
Design a paint chip sampling plan that specifies sampling locations, number of samples per component type, and composite grouping rules
Draw a dust wipe sampling diagram for a dwelling that specifies room selection, sill/floor/well locations, and required number of wipes per surface type
Outline the soil sampling approach for play areas and building perimeter, including composite depth and grid spacing decisions
Identify the QA/QC elements a laboratory report must show, including method, detection limit, and blank or duplicate results
Your checkpoint
A complete mock sampling plan for a two-bedroom pre-1978 dwelling (paint chips, dust wipes, soil) with the rationale for each sampling decision written in two sentences or fewer per location
Dust, Soil, and Water Sampling Protocols (collection methods, wipe and composite sampling, clearance standards, laboratory analysis and QA/QC) & Risk Assessment Process and Report Preparation (on-site investigation, occupant interview, exposure and hazard evaluation, written report elements, recommendations)
Explain chain-of-custody requirements and demonstrate completing a custody form for a mixed batch of wipes, chips, and soil samples
Outline the on-site investigation sequence of a risk assessment, from occupant interview through visual assessment and sampling
Draft occupant interview questions that elicit renovation history, child hand-to-mouth behavior, and current paint deterioration
Interpret a set of laboratory results and rank each finding as a hazard, a potential hazard, or no hazard, with justification
Assemble the required sections of a written risk assessment report and write the limitations statement
Your checkpoint
Milestone mock exam: 40 mixed questions covering Domains 1, 3, and 4 answered closed-book at 80% or better
Risk Assessment Process and Report Preparation (on-site investigation, occupant interview, exposure and hazard evaluation, written report elements, recommendations) & Hazard Identification and Risk Determination (interpreting inspection and sampling data, comparing to standards, ranking hazards, evaluating exposure pathways)
Evaluate exposure pathways for a case scenario and state which pathway drives the hazard determination and why
Write a defensible recommendation for each identified hazard, distinguishing immediate control, interim control, and abatement
Apply the comparison-to-standards step to ranked findings and justify the ranking order in writing
Produce a complete evaluation section of a risk assessment report for a supplied case packet with no unsupported claims
Your checkpoint
A finished draft risk assessment report for a practice case, with an evaluation section and a prioritized recommendation list, peer-scored against a self-written checklist of required elements
Hazard Identification and Risk Determination (interpreting inspection and sampling data, comparing to standards, ranking hazards, evaluating exposure pathways) & Health Effects of Lead Exposure and Susceptible Populations (pathways, blood lead levels, toxicity mechanisms, at-risk groups)
Describe how lead is absorbed and distributed in the body and explain why children under six are disproportionately susceptible
Relate blood lead levels to the exposure pathways documented in a case file and state the limits of that inference
Identify the at-risk groups and behaviors that raise exposure, and match each to a control recommendation
Resolve conflicting data in a case file (for example, an inconclusive XRF result with a positive dust wipe) and document the resolution
Your checkpoint
Milestone exam: 30 questions on Domains 5, 6, and 2 answered closed-book at 85% or better, plus one written conflict-resolution memo of 300 words or fewer
Lead Hazard Control and Abatement Options (interim controls, abatement methods, dust suppression, cleanup, clearance, worker protection overview) & Professional Ethics, Quality Assurance, and Communication (client/occupant communication, data integrity, conflict of interest, chain of custody, report limitations)
Distinguish abatement methods from interim controls and state which hazards each method is suited to
Outline the dust suppression, work practice, and cleanup sequence that precedes a clearance examination
Describe worker protection concepts at a level sufficient to explain why clearance follows abatement, without overstating technical detail
Apply ethical decision rules to three written scenarios covering conflict of interest, data integrity, and client pressure to soften findings
Explain what a report can and cannot conclude, and phrase that limitation for a client in plain language
Your checkpoint
A two-page ethics and communication position sheet: three scenarios, each with a chosen course of action, the rule it rests on, and a client-ready explanation
Federal, State, and Local Regulatory Requirements (TSCA Title IV Sections 402/404/406, 40 CFR Part 745, HUD requirements, notification, certification, and recordkeeping) & Lead-Based Paint Inspection Methods and Equipment (XRF operation and calibration, paint chip sampling, substrate correction, false positives/negatives) & Risk Assessment Process and Report Preparation (on-site investigation, occupant interview, exposure and hazard evaluation, written report elements, recommendations)
Re-audit weak objectives from weeks 1 through 7 and rewrite any reference sheet section that failed recall
Complete timed full-length practice sets under exam conditions, then review every missed item to root cause
Rehearse the regulatory deadlines, XRF interpretation rules, and report element list from memory without notes
Your checkpoint
Final cumulative practice exam at 85% or better, plus a one-page list of the ten remaining weak objectives with the specific study action for each
Milestones
Week 2: Explains XRF verification and substrate correction aloud, without notes, to a study partner or recording, and the 25-item XRF worksheet is scored at 90% or better
Week 4: Closed-book 40-question mixed exam on Domains 1, 3, and 4 scored at 80% or better and the mock sampling plan is complete for all three media
Week 6: Closed-book 30-question exam on Domains 5, 6, and 2 scored at 85% or better and the draft risk assessment report contains every required element on the self-written checklist
Week 8: Timed cumulative practice exam at 85% or better with a written remediation action for each remaining weak objective