[Amended 12-4-2023 by Ord. No. 104-2023]
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning.
ABATE or ABATEMENT - The reduction of the presence of lead on surfaces and other sources that result in the possibility of lead toxicity or poisoning.
CITY OF READING - The City of Reading, Pennsylvania, Office of Community Development and its designee in the City of Reading Lead Hazard Control Program, or any successor bureau, department or agency or any otherwise authorized representative or agent of the City of Reading, Pennsylvania Office of the Managing Director.
CLEARANCE EXAMINATION - A visual examination and collection of environmental samples by an inspector or risk assessor and analysis by an accredited laboratory upon completion of an abatement project, interim control intervention, or maintenance job that disturbs lead-based paint (or paint suspected of being lead-based).
DWELLING - A building or structure, or a unit therein composed of a room or group of rooms within a building or structure, occupied or designed or intended to be occupied as a place for human habitation or use, or any part thereof, including any accessory building, structure, yard or fence belonging thereto or usually enjoined therewith and any institutional or nonresidential structure or a room or group of rooms within an institutional or nonresidential structure, such as day-care centers, child-care facilities, school, church or recreational facilities, including any building, structure, yard or fence belonging thereto or usually enjoined therewith, including all movable or removable objects contained therein such as but not limited to, toys, furniture, utensils and appliances.
ELEVATED BLOOD LEAD LEVEL - The level of lead in the blood of a child under six years of age confirmed by venous sample to be equal to or greater than the lead level defined as elevated by the United States Centers for Disease Control.
ENCAPSULATION - Any covering or coating that acts as a barrier between lead-based paint and the environment, the durability of which relies on adhesion and the integrity of the existing bonds between multiple layers of paint and between the paint and the substrate.
ENCLOSURE - Use of rigid durable construction materials that are mechanically fastened to the substrate to act as a barrier between the lead-based paint and the environment.
EXTRACTABLE OR LEACHABLE LEAD - Quantity of lead in food containers, cooking, eating or drinking utensils or tableware.
LEAD-BASED PAINT OR COATINGS - Any paint, varnish, glaze or other applied liquid surface coating including putty or plaster which contains a quantity of lead in excess of 1.0 milligrams per square centimeter of surface.
LEAD SOURCE HEAL TH HAZARD - An item or condition where exposure to that item or condition could have the potential to a create case of lead poisoning, including but not limited to exposure to lead-based paint, lead-contaminated soil, water and ceramics.
OCCUPANT - Any person living, sleeping, cooking, eating in or having actual possession and/or control of a dwelling. This term includes, but is not limited to, tenants and/or commercial leaseholders.
OWNER - Any person, firm, corporation, guardian, conservator, receiver, trustee, executor or other judicial officer and his/her/its agent or designee who, alone or jointly with others, owns, holds or controls the whole or any part of the freehold or leasehold title to any property containing a dwelling, with or without occupying it. The term shall include, in addition to the holder of legal title, any vendee in possession thereof, and anyone who rents and/or leases the dwelling to another. In the case of an object such as a toy, item of furniture, utensils, appliance or other household item which is the property of an occupant, the occupant shall be considered the item’s owner.
RECOGNIZED METHOD OF ANALYSIS - Any method of lead detection and analysis recognized by the Department of Housing and Urban Development which results in measurement of lead in milligrams in a square centimeter of a particular area including, without limitation, a radioisotope X-ray fluorescent analyzer for in-place determination of lead content.
REMOVAL - Stripping of paint from contaminated surfaces by approved method, or replacement and disposal of contaminated items.
RISK ASSESSMENT - An official inspection conducted on a property by a suitably trained inspector approved by the City of Reading, Pennsylvania, for the purpose of locating and identifying lead poison hazards that could affect human health.
SOURCES - All interior surfaces of a dwelling and those exterior surfaces of a dwelling which are readily accessible to children under six years of age, including, but not limited to, stairs, decks, porches, railings, windows, doors and siding. Any yard or other area in the vicinity of a dwelling including, without limitation, any soil, yard or other area which may be subject to contamination from flaking or peeling of lead-based coatings or from any other source of lead is also considered an exposed surface.
SURFACE - The outermost layer or superficial area (excluding paint, plaster or putty) of the interior or exterior of a dwelling including, but not limited to, the outermost layer or superficial area of walls, ceilings, floors, stairs, windows, windowsills, window frames, window sashes, doors, door frames, baseboards and woodwork and the outermost layer or superficial area of objects such as toys, furniture, utensils, appliances or other household items.