Chapter 254

254.166 History History: 1979 c. 221; 1989 a. 31; 1993 a. 27 s. 433; Stats. 1993 s. 254.14; 1993 a. 450 ss. 39 to 41; Stats. 1993 s. 254.166; 1999 a. 113; 2005 a. 25; 2007 a. 91.

254.167 254.167 Conduct of lead investigation. Subject to the limitation under s. 254.174, the department may promulgate rules establishing procedures for conducting lead investigations of dwellings and premises. The rules promulgated under this section may include the following:

254.167(1) (1) Specific procedures for investigating, testing or sampling painted, varnished or other finished surfaces, drinking water, household dust, soil and other materials that may contain lead.

254.167(2) (2) Specific procedures for the notification of owners, operators, occupants or prospective occupants, mortgagees and lienholders of lead levels identified during a lead investigation and of any health risks that are associated with the lead level and condition of the lead found during the lead investigation.

254.167(3) (3) The form of lead investigation reports, the requirements for filing the reports with the department and the procedures by which members of the public may obtain copies of lead investigation reports.

254.167(4) (4) Requirements for the posting of warnings, where appropriate, of the presence of a lead hazard.

254.167 History History: 1993 a. 450; 1999 a. 113.

254.167 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DHS 163, Wis. adm. code.

254.168 254.168 Lead investigations of facilities serving children under 6 years of age. Subject to the limitation under s. 254.174, the department may promulgate rules that require any of the following facilities to have periodic lead investigations at intervals determined by the department or to otherwise demonstrate that the facility does not contain a lead hazard, if any part of the facility was constructed before January 1, 1978:

254.168(1) (1) A foster home licensed under s. 48.62.

254.168(2) (2) A group home licensed under s. 48.625.

254.168(3) (3) A shelter care facility under s. 48.66.

254.168(4) (4) A child care provider certified under s. 48.651.

254.168(5) (5) A child care center licensed under s. 48.65, provisionally licensed under s. 48.69, or established or contracted for under s. 120.13 (14).

254.168(6) (6) A private or public nursery school or kindergarten.

254.168(7) (7) Any other facility serving children under 6 years of age that presents a risk for causing lead poisoning or lead exposure in children.

254.168 History History: 1993 a. 450; 2007 a. 91; 2009 a. 185.

254.172 254.172 Prevention and control of lead-bearing paint hazards in dwellings and premises.

254.172(1) (1) Subject to the limitation under s. 254.174, the department may promulgate rules governing lead hazard reduction that the department determines are consistent with federal law.

254.172(2) (2) If a certified lead risk assessor or other person certified under s. 254.176 conducts a lead investigation of a dwelling or premises, he or she shall conduct the lead investigation and issue a report in accordance with any rules promulgated under s. 254.167. If the report indicates that the dwelling or premises meets criteria under s. 254.179 (1) (a) for issuance of a certificate of lead-free or of a certificate of lead-safe status, the lead risk assessor or other person shall issue the appropriate certificate, subject to s. 254.181.

254.172 History History: 1993 a. 450; 1999 a. 113, 186.

254.172 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DHS 163, Wis. adm. code.

254.174 254.174 Technical advisory committees. Before the department may promulgate rules under s. 254.167, 254.168, 254.172 or 254.179, the department shall appoint a technical advisory committee under s. 227.13 and shall consult with the technical advisory committee on the proposed rules. Any technical advisory committee required under this section shall include representatives from local health departments that administer local lead programs, representatives from the housing industry, persons certified under s. 254.176, representatives from the medical or public health professions, advocates for persons at risk of lead poisoning and a resident of a 1st class city. Any technical advisory committee required under this section before promulgating rules under s. 254.168 shall also include representatives of facilities serving children under 6 years of age.

254.174 History History: 1993 a. 450; 1999 a. 113.

254.176 254.176 Certification requirements.

254.176(1) (1) Except as provided in sub. (2) and s. 250.041, and subject to sub. (3m) and s. 254.115, the department may establish by rule certification requirements for any person who performs lead hazard reduction or a lead management activity or who supervises the performance of any lead hazard reduction or lead management activity.

254.176(2) (2) No certification is required under this section for lead hazard reduction conducted by any of the following persons, unless the lead hazard reduction is being done to comply with an order by the department or another state or local agency that requires the use of persons certified under this section:

254.176(2)(a) (a) A person whose activities are limited to interim control activities, unless the activities are directly funded by a grant from the federal department of housing and urban development.

254.176(2)(b) (b) A person whose activities do not involve lead-bearing paint or lead-contaminated soil or dust.

254.176(2)(c) (c) A homeowner who engages in lead hazard reduction only in or on his or her own nonrental residential dwelling or real property.

254.176(2)(d) (d) A person licensed, certified or registered under ch. 145 who engages in activities that constitute lead hazard reduction, only to the extent that these activities are within the scope of his or her license, certification or registration.

254.176(2)(e) (e) A person who engages in the business of installing or servicing heating, ventilating or air conditioning equipment if the person is registered with the department of safety and professional services and if the person engages in activities that constitute lead hazard reduction, only to the extent that the activities are within the scope of his or her registration.

254.176(3) (3) Except as provided in s. 250.041 and subject to sub. (3m) and s. 254.115, the department may promulgate rules establishing certification requirements for persons required to be certified under this section. Any rules promulgated under this section:

254.176(3)(a) (a) Shall include requirements and procedures for issuing, renewing, revoking and suspending under this section certifications issued under this section.

254.176(3)(c) (c) Shall require completion of an appropriate training course accredited under s. 254.178 or of a training course determined by the department to be comparable to the appropriate training course under s. 254.178.

254.176(3)(d) (d) May provide for requirements other than training as a condition for full certification.

254.176(3)(e) (e) Shall specify fees for certifying persons under this section, except that no fee may be imposed on any person employed by the state or by any political subdivision of the state for a certification required to perform duties within the scope of the employment or on an individual who is eligible for the veterans fee waiver program under s. 45.44.

254.176(3)(f) (f) Shall require the issuance of a photo identification card to each person certified under this section.

254.176(3m) (3m) Any relevant education, training, instruction, or other experience that an applicant has obtained in connection with military service, as defined in s. 111.32 (12g), counts toward satisfying the requirements for education, training, instruction, or other experience for certification under this section if the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the education, training, instruction, or other experience that the applicant obtained in connection with his or her military service is substantially equivalent to the education, training, instruction, or other experience that is required to be certified under this section.

254.176(4) (4) The department shall maintain lists of all persons who are certified under this section and shall make the lists available to the public. The department may charge a fee for lists provided under this subsection to cover the department’s costs in providing the lists.

254.176(5) (5) After notice and opportunity for hearing, the department may revoke, suspend, deny or refuse to renew any certification issued under this section in accordance with the procedures set forth in ch. 227, except that if a revocation, denial, or nonrenewal is based on tax delinquency under s. 73.0301 or unemployment insurance contribution delinquency under s. 108.227, the only hearing rights available are those set forth in s. 73.0301 (5) or 108.227 (5), whichever is applicable.

254.176 History History: 1993 a. 450; 1995 a. 27 ss. 6330, 9116 (5); 1997 a. 191, 237; 1999 a. 113; 2011 a. 32, 120, 209; 2013 a. 36.

254.176 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DHS 163, Wis. adm. code.

254.178 254.178 Accreditation of lead training courses and approval of lead instructors.

254.178(1) (1) 

254.178(1)(a) (a) No person may advertise or conduct a training course in lead hazard reduction, or in a lead management activity, that is represented as qualifying persons for certification under s. 254.176 unless the course is accredited by the department under this section.

254.178(1)(b) (b) Except as provided in s. 250.041, no person may function as an instructor of a lead training course accredited under this section unless the person is approved by the department under this section.

254.178(2) (2) The department shall promulgate rules establishing requirements, except as provided in sub. (2m) and s. 250.041, for accreditation of lead training courses and approval of lead instructors. These rules:

254.178(2)(a) (a) Except as provided in s. 250.041, shall include requirements and procedures for granting, renewing, revoking and suspending under this section lead training course accreditations and lead instructor approvals.

254.178(2)(c) (c) May provide for full or contingent accreditation or approval.

254.178(2)(d) (d) Shall specify fees for accrediting lead training courses and approving lead instructors, except that no fee may be imposed on an individual who is eligible for the veterans fee waiver program under s. 45.44.

254.178(2m) (2m) Any relevant education, training, instruction, or other experience that an applicant has obtained in connection with military service, as defined in s. 111.32 (12g), counts toward satisfying the requirements for education, training, instruction, or other experience to function as an instructor of a lead training course accredited under this section if the applicant demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the education, training, instruction, or other experience that the applicant obtained in connection with his or her military service is substantially equivalent to the education, training, instruction, or other experience that is required to function as an instructor of a lead training course accredited under this section.

254.178(3) (3) The department shall maintain lists of all lead training courses accredited, and all lead instructors approved, under this section and shall make the lists available to the public. The department may charge a fee for lists provided under this subsection to cover the department’s costs in providing the lists.

254.178(4) (4) After notice and opportunity for hearing, the department may revoke, suspend, deny or refuse to renew under this section any accreditation or approval issued under this section in accordance with the procedures set forth in ch. 227.

254.178 History History: 1993 a. 450; 1997 a. 191; 1999 a. 113; 2011 a. 120, 209.

254.178 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DHS 163, Wis. adm. code.

254.179 254.179 Rules for dwellings and premises.

254.179(1) (1) Subject to s. 254.174 and after review of ordinances of cities, towns and villages in this state, the department shall, by use of a research-based methodology, promulgate as rules all of the following:

254.179(1)(a) (a) Except as provided in s. 254.18, the standards for a premises, dwelling or unit of a dwelling that must be met for issuance of a certificate of lead-free status or a certificate of lead-safe status to the owner of the premises, dwelling or unit of a dwelling, with the goal of long-term lead hazard reduction.

254.179(1)(b) (b) The procedures by which a certificate of lead-free status or a certificate of lead-safe status may be issued or revoked.

254.179(1)(c) (c) The period of validity of a certificate of lead-free status or a certificate of lead-safe status, including all of the following:

254.179(1)(c)1. 1. Authorization for the certificate of lead-free status to remain in effect unless revoked because of erroneous issuance or because the premises, dwelling or unit of the dwelling is not free of lead-bearing paint. The rules shall specify that the face of the certificate shall indicate that the certificate is valid unless revoked.

254.179(1)(c)2. 2. The standards limiting the length of validity of a certificate of lead-safe status, including the condition of a premises, dwelling, or unit of a dwelling, the type of lead hazard reduction activity that was performed, if any, and any other requirements that must be met to maintain certification, unless the certificate is earlier revoked because of erroneous issuance or because the premises, dwelling, or unit of the dwelling is not safe from lead-bearing paint hazards. The rules shall specify that the face of the certificate shall indicate the certificate’s length of validity.

254.179(1)(d) (d) A mechanism for creating a registry of all premises, dwellings or units of dwellings for which a certificate of lead-free status or a certificate of lead-safe status is issued.

254.179(1)(e) (e) The requirements for a course of up to 16 hours that a property owner or his or her employee or agent may complete in order to receive certification of completion and the scope of the lead investigation and lead hazard reduction activities that the owner, employee or agent may perform following certification, to the extent consistent with federal law.

254.179(2) (2) By January 1, 2003, and every 2 years thereafter, the department shall review the rules under sub. (1) and shall promulgate changes to the rules if necessary in order to maintain consistency with federal law.

254.179(3) (3) Subject to s. 254.174, the department may promulgate rules that set forth safe work practices that shall be followed in the demolition of a building constructed before January 1, 1978, to avoid exposure by persons to lead hazards in the area of the demolition.

254.179 History History: 1999 a. 113; 2005 a. 25, 254.

254.18 254.18 Lead hazard reduction in dwellings and premises; renovations.

254.18(1) (1) Sampling or testing of dwellings, units of dwellings or premises for the presence of lead-bearing paint or a lead hazard is not required before lead hazard reduction activities are conducted if the presence of lead-bearing paint or a lead hazard is assumed and the lead hazard reduction activities are performed in a lead-safe manner.

254.18(2) (2) 

254.18(2)(a) (a) In this subsection, “partial lead inspection” means an on-site investigation of one or more painted, varnished, or otherwise coated building components to determine the presence of lead, but not a surface-by-surface investigation.

254.18(2)(b) (b) If the presence of lead-bearing paint or a lead hazard is assumed and a renovation of a dwelling, unit of a dwelling, or premises is performed in a lead-safe manner, any person who performs a partial lead inspection relating to that renovation is not required to comply with any requirements established by the department for a lead inspection.

254.18(2)(c) (c) The person who performs a partial lead inspection under this subsection shall disclose, in writing, to the owner or lessor of the dwelling or premises that the person performed a partial lead inspection.

254.18 History History: 1999 a. 113; 2015 a. 122.

254.181 254.181 Certificate of lead-free status and certificate of lead-safe status; fees and notification.

254.181(1) (1) The department may impose a fee of $50 for issuance of a certificate of lead-free status and a fee of $25 for issuance of a certificate of lead-safe status. Fees under this section may not exceed actual costs of issuance and of s. 254.179. The department shall review the fees every 2 years and adjust the fees to reflect the actual costs.

254.181(2) (2) The department shall, at least quarterly, notify a local health department concerning issuance of certificates of lead-free status and certificates of lead-safe status in the area of jurisdiction of the local health department.

254.181 History History: 1999 a. 113.

254.182 254.182 Repayment to general fund. The secretary of administration shall transfer from the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (1) (gm) to the general fund the amount of $735,000 when the secretary of administration determines that program revenues from fees imposed under ss. 254.176 (3) (e) and (4), 254.178 (2) (d) and 254.181 are sufficient to make the transfer.

254.182 History History: 1999 a. 113.

254.19 254.19 Asbestos testing fees. Notwithstanding s. 36.25 (11) (f), the state laboratory of hygiene board shall impose a fee sufficient to pay for any asbestos testing services which it provides.

254.19 History History: 1987 a. 396; 1993 a. 27 s. 317; Stats. 1993 s. 254.19.

254.20 254.20 Asbestos abatement certification.

254.20(2) (2) Certification requirements.

254.20(2)(a) (a) No person serving on the governing body of a school, employed by a school or acting under a contract with a school may perform any asbestos abatement activity or asbestos management activity unless he or she has a valid certification card issued to him or her under sub. (3).

254.20(2)(b) (b) No public employee may perform any asbestos abatement activity unless he or she has a valid certification card issued to him or her under sub. (3).

254.20(2)(c) (c) No public employee may supervise the performance of any asbestos abatement activity unless he or she has a valid supervisor’s certification card issued to him or her under sub. (3).

254.20(2)(d) (d) Except as provided in s. 250.041 and subject to s. 254.115, the department may establish by rule certification requirements for any person not certified under pars. (a) to (c) who performs any asbestos abatement activity or asbestos management activity or who supervises the performance of any asbestos abatement activity or asbestos management activity.