# Vertical Containment



## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

The new changes to the RRP, include vertical containment. In another post, I made mention that this was not a biggie. I'm changing my mind as I read about it. I was mis-reading their intentions.

It seems it will be required anytime the neighbors property line is closer than 10 feet from the paint you are disturbing. It also seems the EPA cares how that vertical containment is made. 

Long story short, a bigger deal than I once thought.


----------



## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Thanks Dean, give us an overview when you get a chance, I have not read it all through yet.


----------



## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

The vast majority of time, the property line will be further than 10 feet away.

However, for those certain times it isn't, it could be a costly endeavor. 

_Vertical containment means a vertical barrier consisting of plastic sheeting or other impermeable material over scaffolding or a rigid frame, or an equivalent system of containing the work area._

Now, they don't mention how high or how wide it should be. Some common sense would say it should be as high as the work you are doing.

I've been reading some dust studies on how far dust and chips can go out. Interesting (at least to me)


----------



## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

Do not forget as well that you just built a big sail once you construct this thing as well.

Maybe it will not be a problem, but in the summer you can get thunderstorms that pop up fast from nowhere and can have considerable winds with them. Not sure how well that would work out. 

I personally do not like the idea of leaving scaffolding set up on a residential job either. Too tempting for kids to climb and possibly get hurt.


----------



## BreatheEasyHP (Apr 24, 2011)

I stay may work on a non-profit school with extension lead work. I spoke with a carpenter who is mulling over how to build out from the joists (no fascia boards) in a way to have a roof and hang plastic down to the ground.

I'd been thinking to not have vertical posts; now it seems I may have to reconsider. I guess this is for a neighbors property, but a playground seems like a bigger deal.


----------



## MaizeandBluePainter (May 7, 2008)

*What about the scaffolding*

If you go up a couple of stories, scaffolding might be the best way to support your plastic sheeting for vertical containment. I've been wondering what happens to to the dust coated scaffolding frames and the 12-foot planks that have lead dust trampled into them. 

Do you clean the whole thing with a swiffer. Or do you just hose it down? Or does the scaffolding company take it back to the yard, like nothing happened?

A whole additional layer of unintended consequences.


----------



## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

Just a reminder, vertical containment went into effect today, along with paint chip sampling.


----------



## Roamer (Jul 5, 2010)

> The vast majority of time, the property line will be further than 10 feet away.


The highest percentage of lead painted homes are in urban environments and typically those homes share property lines with their neighbors.

We did a recent vertical containment on a home on Capitol Hill. This consisted of having scaffolding erected in front of the home and the entire structure wrapped in plastic right up to the the surface of the home. 

Cost to the homeowner, for precautions alone: $3500.00. That was before lifting a single scraper or paint brush.


----------



## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

Roamer said:


> The highest percentage of lead painted homes are in urban environments and typically those homes share property lines with their neighbors.
> 
> We did a recent vertical containment on a home on Capitol Hill. This consisted of having scaffolding erected in front of the home and the entire structure wrapped in plastic right up to the the surface of the home.
> 
> Cost to the homeowner, for precautions alone: $3500.00. That was before lifting a single scraper or paint brush.


Pretty good price for wrapping a house.

I did a vertical containment on a side of a single story house recently. Took about an hour to make and set-up. Material cost were around $25.


----------



## Roamer (Jul 5, 2010)

Dean CRCNA said:


> Pretty good price for wrapping a house.
> 
> I did a vertical containment on a side of a single story house recently. Took about an hour to make and set-up. Material cost were around $25.


I hope you are not suggesting that we gouged our customer.

Our client's home required a 6 stage high by 4 stage wide (essentially 35 feet high by 28 feet wide scaffolding. What's more the scaffolding had to be erected over a basement stairs and well as well as skirt around a wrought iron portico jutting out just above the first story of the house.

The neighbors on either side of the house are connected to our client's home, and are equally tall town homes.

$25 wouldn't have bought our first roll of plastic and the necessary duct tape for that roll. By the way, the scaffolding was erected by a professional scaffolding company in accordance with OSHA and the permit issued by the DCRA (Dept of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs for the city of DC).

We weren't laughing all the way to the bank or off to polish the decks of our yachts after that one.


----------



## Dean CRCNA (Feb 4, 2010)

Roamer said:


> I hope you are not suggesting that we gouged our customer.


Nope. I was actually thinking it was a very reasonable price. Sorry for the confusion.


----------

