Construction and manufacturing companies have a high risk of causing damage to the environment. Their environmental liability can be very high if a solid plan is not in place before the project begins that will help them avoid contaminating the environment around their site. These important plans are often referred to as BMPs or best management practices. In most states in the United States, BMPs are a requirement before permits can be obtained for a location. These plans include detailed instructions, describing how the site will manage toxic waste and chemicals that could harm the surrounding land, water, or air if they are not contained.
Most materials used on a job site are not indigenous to the site, so they are considered foreign and every precaution should be taken to not allow them to be introduced to the surrounding areas. Paint, chemicals, concrete and even dust that might contain trace elements of harmful substances are just some of the materials that need to be controlled at a construction site. These are some of the steps that should be taken before you begin any size construction project if you want to avoid fines, or even worse, damage to the land, water, or air around your site.
Control, contain, and capture are commonly known as the three C's. If you follow these three principles when you are creating your construction site BPM's you will easily cover any possible scenarios. The first C, control, is very important. Knowing where you are going to store chemicals and other potential pollutants on your site, and taking steps to prevent them from leaving your site is very important. Part of controlling hazardous materials is making sure every one of your employees is completely trained and knows all of the protocols for site cleanup and other work that will require them to come in contact with dangerous pollutants.
Containing the materials on your site and preventing them from leaving is the second principle you should reflect in your BMP. Here again, training your employees is key to making this work. You should have proper closed storage for all materials. Whenever possible, leave materials in their original packaging to avoid a mix up at the site. Materials that are exposed to the elements can combine with rain and wash into nearby storm drains. You should never leave any materials exposed to weather for this reason. Finally, capture. Accidents happen and there is always a chance materials will spill or create residue at your construction site.
Every successful BMP has a thorough waste and spill management section. You should have a spill kit and someone trained to use it at your construction site at all times in case there is an emergency. Never use water or a hose to clean up materials at a job site. When you combine water with waste, the contaminated water can easily seep out of your site and into nearby ground water or other public areas. Capturing and removing all materials from the job site so that they can be properly disposed of is a necessary part of any good construction job.
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Written by Lawrence Reaves for Beacon Hill Associates - http://www.b-h-a.com - a wholesale insurance broker and program administrator focusing on specialty insurance related to the environment and pollution.
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