If a composite sample fails, what action is required?

If a composite sample fails, what action is required?

• A. All the rooms with that component must be re-cleaned
• B. The sampling must be redone with single surface wipes
• C. No follow-up is required
• D. The entire building must be re-cleaned

Answer: (A)

When a composite wipe sample fails, it means the group of surfaces that were tested together still has lead above the clearance level. The appropriate action is to re-clean all rooms that contain the affected surface type (the component) so every room contributing to that component is addressed. After cleaning, verification sampling should be used to confirm the cleaned areas meet the standard. This approach focuses the remediation where the problem originated rather than sweeping the whole building or bypassing cleaning. Re-sampling alone wouldn’t eliminate the underlying contamination, and cleaning only a subset or the entire building would be unnecessarily broad.

When a composite wipe sample fails, it means the group of surfaces that were tested together still has lead above the clearance level. The appropriate action is to re-clean all rooms that contain the affected surface type (the component) so every room contributing to that component is addressed. After cleaning, verification sampling should be used to confirm the cleaned areas meet the standard.

This approach focuses the remediation where the problem originated rather than sweeping the whole building or bypassing cleaning. Re-sampling alone wouldn’t eliminate the underlying contamination, and cleaning only a subset or the entire building would be unnecessarily broad.