Integrating Safety and Environmental Regulation of Construction Industry
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 121, Issue 1
Abstract
Many construction safety issues are closely connected to environmental problems. The consolidation of safety and environmental regulation at federal and state levels, either partially or totally, would provide the construction industry with a single agency that would provide uniform and accurate guidance, avoid unnecessary duplication of guidance and information, and virtually eliminate conflicts that are currently caused by multiagency oversight. In addition to benefits to the industry, there are also significant cost savings that could be attained by the various levels of government involved in monitoring the construction industry by combining their various safety and environmental regulatory functions. Combining certain Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) functions would increase efficiency and provide a good model for the contemporary movement to reinvent government. The resulting consistency of regulation would decrease conflicting guidance from agencies that are regulating similar issues and, at the same time, increase the quality of worker safety and environmental protection. In addition to the regulation of hazardous materials by both agencies, there are significant additional opportunities for consolidating operations and regulation of the construction industry.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 121 • Issue 1 • March 1995
Pages: 95 - 99
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Mar 1, 1995
Published in print: Mar 1995
Authors
Metrics & Citations
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