March 31, 2008 - Children are still being exposed to lead paint in older buildings. This exposure has resulted in significant injuries to children’s brains. In an effort to further protect children from exposure to lead-based paint, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing new rules for contractors who renovate or repair housing, child-care facilities or schools built before 1978. Under the new rules, workers must follow lead-safe work practice standards to reduce potential exposure to dangerous levels of lead during renovation and repair activities.

"While there has been a dramatic decrease over the last two decades in the number of children affected by lead-poisoning, EPA is continuing its efforts to take on this preventable disease," said James Gulliford, EPA's Assistant Administrator for Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. "Today's new rules will require contractors to be trained and to follow simple but effective lead-safe work practices to protect children from dangerous levels of lead."

The "Lead: Renovation, Repair and Painting Program" rule, which will take effect in April 2010, prohibits work practices creating lead hazards. Requirements under the rule include implementing lead-safe work practices and certification and training for paid contractors and maintenance professionals working in pre-1978 housing, child-care facilities and schools. To foster adoption of the new measures, EPA will also conduct an extensive education and outreach campaign to promote awareness of these new requirements.

The rule covers all rental housing and non-rental homes where children under six and pregnant mothers reside. The new requirements apply to renovation, repair or painting activities where more than six square feet of lead-based paint is disturbed in a room or where 20 square feet of lead-based paint is disturbed on the exterior. The affected contractors include builders, painters, plumbers and electricians. Trained contractors must post warning signs, restrict occupants from work areas, contain work areas to prevent dust and debris from spreading, conduct a thorough cleanup, and verify that cleanup was effective.

Labels: attorney, EPA, lawsuit, lead paint

Elliot Olsen, an attorney with the law firm of Pritzker | Ruohonen & Associates, P.A. was interviewed by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune regarding the Red Lake School shooting case. The following is an excerpt from the resulting article:

Families of people killed or injured in the 2005 Red Lake school shooting are suing a Bloomington-based environmental consulting firm that sold the school district a crisis management security plan.

Lawyers for the nearly two-dozen families said today that MacNeil Environmental, Inc., failed to create a safe school environment and properly train students, staff and law enforcement about what to do in a crisis situation.

"MacNeil sold a security plan that didn't work," said Elliot Olsen, a Minneapolis attorney who represents Steve Cobenais, one of the most severely injured students. "We intend to show that had MacNeil done its job, these deaths and injuries would have been prevented."

They are also representing a handful of former school employees in three separate lawsuits against MacNeil.

The suits say MacNeil was hired by the Red Lake district in 2002 to create a security plan for the district on the remote Indian reservation in northern Minnesota. The suits specifically mention the March 21, 2005 shootings that left 10 dead - including teenage gunman Jeff Weise.

Weise, 16, killed his grandfather and grandfather's girlfriend at their home, then drove to the school and opened fire, killing a security guard, a teacher and five students before taking his own life .

Olsen said that the company was served with the suits last Friday.

Labels: attorney, Elliot Olsen, Red Lake School shooting

On February 11, 2008, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of about 2,100 GE gas clothes dryers due to possible electric shock hazard. The recalled gas dryers are 42 inches tall (back with backsplash) and 27 inches wide, and were sold in white. GE gas dryers model number DWXR463GGWW with serial numbers starting with AM, TL, SL, VL, and ZL are included in this recall. To find the model and serial numbers, open the dryer door and look in the upper right corner, in the area that was covered by the door.

According to the GE gas clothes dryer recall announcement, a short circuit in the dryer’s wiring poses a shock hazard to consumers with ungrounded dryers. People suffering electrical shock injuries involving the recalled GE gas clothes may have claims against GE and others under product liability laws. An experienced electrical shock attorney should be consulted regarding liability and compensation for electrical shock injuries.

Labels: attorney, electrical shock, GE recall, lawsuit