Building contractors have been subject
for some time to laws that protect
workers from conditions that are
unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to
their health and safety. Burdensome as
these laws may feel sometimes, now
the contractor may have a further
responsibility under laws that may be
applied to the construction industry.
These are two federal "Right to
Know" (RTK) laws, which contractors
should know about: The first is
administered by the Occupational
Health and Safety Administration
(OSHA) and the second by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA),
under the environmental "Superfund"
law.
Right now their application to the
construction industry is on hold while
under court consideration. However,
it is important for building contractors
to be aware of these new responsibilities
should the RTK