Cal. Civ. Code § 460.160
Safety Precautions and Cleanup Procedures in Areas Undergoing Deleading and Interim Control
Operative Text
Work
(A) Occupancy.
(1) All occupants must be relocated from a dwelling unit while any abatement work that is not
low-risk is taking place inside their unit, whether for full compliance or interim control. Household
pets shall not be allowed to remain in the dwelling unit.
(2) Occupants may remain in a dwelling unit during:
(a) low-risk abatement and containment activities, with the exception of situations covered
by 105 CMR 460.160(A)(3);
(b) exterior abatement activities;
(c) interior common area abatement and containment work, with the exception of situations
covered by 105 CMR 460.160(A)(3); and
(d) any structural repair work and lead dust cleaning necessary for interim control.
However, occupants in these situations must stay out of the work area until those activities are
completed, and the authorized person performing them has cleaned up at the end of each workday,
in accordance with 105 CMR 460.160(D).
(3) Occupants must be out of the dwelling unit for the workday, but need not be relocated, during
abatement and containment work in interior common areas in situations in which the occupants of
the unit undergoing abatement and/or containment have no second standard means of egress into
and out of the residential premises.
(4) Exceptions to 105 CMR 460.160(A)(1) through (3) may be granted pursuant to specified
conditions established on a case-by-case basis by the State Program or code enforcement agency,
upon a finding that such occupancy will not endanger or materially impair the health of residents.
(B) Deleaders and authorized persons shall adhere to all health and safety requirements specified in
454 CMR 22.00: Deleading and Lead-safe Renovation Regulations.
(C) Worksite Preparation.
(1) Abatement Worksite Preparation. Authorized persons performing abatement work other than
low-risk abatement activities shall prepare the worksite in accordance with the requirements of 105
CMR 460.000, 454 CMR 22.00: Deleading and Lead-safe Renovation Regulations and
procedures set out in training materials approved by the Director.
(2) Low-risk Abatement/Containment Worksite Preparation. Authorized persons who will be
performing low-risk abatement and/or containment activities shall follow the procedures for
protecting the dwelling unit and all belongings from lead contamination, described in training
materials approved by the Director for low-risk abatement and containment.
(D) Clean-up.
(1) Final Clean-up. A final clean-up shall be performed by each authorized person doing
abatement work that is not low-risk at the end of all his or her abatement work. Authorized
persons shall wait at least two hours after completion of all their abatement work to perform final
clean-up. Any low-risk abatement and/or containment activities, or structural repairs for interim
control planned to take place after other abatement work shall begin only after the last final clean-
up. Final clean-up shall at minimum consist of a HEPA-filtered vacuuming, followed by a wet
mopping/sponging, and a second HEPA-filtered vacuuming, performed in accordance with training
materials approved by the Director.
(2) Low-risk Abatement/Containment Clean-up. Authorized persons performing low-risk
abatement and/or containment activities are responsible for clean-up of all work areas in which they
worked, in accordance with training approved by the Director. Owners or owners’ agents
performing structural repairs for interim control must clean up all work areas in which they work,
in accordance with educational materials for interim control approved by the Director.
(E) Relocated occupants of a dwelling unit or residential premises undergoing abatement for full
compliance or interim control may resume occupancy, and new occupants may begin occupancy of
a vacant dwelling unit or residential premises undergoing abatement for full compliance or interim
control, upon the determination of a lead inspector or risk assessor that the dwelling unit has
successfully met the conditions of a reoccupancy reinspection in compliance with 105 CMR
460.760(A).Section 105 CMR 460.160 establishes when occupants—and their pets—must leave a dwelling unit during lead abatement or interim control work, and what cleanup steps must follow. For most non-low-risk abatement work happening inside a unit, all residents and household pets must vacate entirely; for lower-risk or exterior work, residents may stay but must keep out of the active work area until daily cleanup is complete. Occupants who have been relocated cannot return, and new occupants cannot move in, until a licensed lead inspector or risk assessor confirms the unit has passed a reoccupancy reinspection under 105 CMR 460.760(A).
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under 105 CMR 460.160, compliant property operators arrange full relocation of all occupants and pets before non-low-risk interior abatement begins, and they ensure that authorized persons follow the worksite preparation and cleanup protocols specified in both 105 CMR 460.000 and 454 CMR 22.00. For lower-risk or exterior work where residents may remain on the premises, operators confirm that work areas are cleared of occupants throughout each workday and that end-of-day cleanup—including the required HEPA vacuuming, wet mopping, and second HEPA vacuuming—is completed before anyone re-enters. Reoccupancy is not permitted until a lead inspector or risk assessor issues a passing reoccupancy reinspection determination, and operators who believe a specific situation warrants an exception may seek one from the State Program or code enforcement agency under 105 CMR 460.160(A)(4).
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
105 CMR 460.160 gives occupants the right to know that they—and their pets—must be fully relocated before non-low-risk lead abatement work begins inside their unit, and that they cannot be asked to return until a lead inspector or risk assessor has confirmed the unit passes a reoccupancy reinspection under 105 CMR 460.760(A). If work is of a type that allows residents to remain on the premises, the regulation still requires that occupants stay out of the active work area each day until cleanup is finished. Tenants who believe these occupancy or cleanup requirements are not being followed may contact the relevant state or local code enforcement agency, or reach out to a tenant-rights organization for information about available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 30, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.