De minimis, in plain words: the small-area lines in the Lead Safe Housing Rule

General information only, not advice for any specific unit. The Lead Safe Housing Rule treats very small amounts of deteriorated paint differently — the de minimis levels are commonly stated as 2 square feet in any one interior room, 20 square feet on an exterior surface, or 10 percent of the total surface area of a small component type. Below those lines, full lead-safe work practices may not be triggered the same way; above them, deteriorated paint in pre-1978 assisted housing is a lead hazard handled by qualified people with lead-safe methods. The practical point for managers: measure and record the area instead of guessing, because the measurement decides which rulebook the job follows. Worth a quick check with your own compliance person for your program's exact requirements. — Otto Mergl, Admin