If you are inspecting a multi-family building with fewer than 16 units and there is no information about age, how many units must you inspect?

If you are inspecting a multi-family building with fewer than 16 units and there is no information about age, how many units must you inspect?

• A. All
• B. At least half
• C. Only those with red flags
• D. At least 5

Answer: (A)

When the building is small (fewer than 16 units) and there is no information about the age of the units, you must inspect every unit. This ensures a complete assessment because age is a strong predictor of lead-based paint, but without that information you can’t rely on sampling to catch all possible lead hazards. Inspecting all units eliminates the risk of missing lead paint in any unit and provides a definitive determination of whether hazards exist across the entire building. The other approaches—sampling half, focusing only on red-flag units, or inspecting only a minimum number—could miss hazards in uninspected units and leave residents at risk.

When the building is small (fewer than 16 units) and there is no information about the age of the units, you must inspect every unit. This ensures a complete assessment because age is a strong predictor of lead-based paint, but without that information you can’t rely on sampling to catch all possible lead hazards. Inspecting all units eliminates the risk of missing lead paint in any unit and provides a definitive determination of whether hazards exist across the entire building. The other approaches—sampling half, focusing only on red-flag units, or inspecting only a minimum number—could miss hazards in uninspected units and leave residents at risk.