RT212 Green Construction Practices: Integrating Occupational Safety and Health
Session Id: IH10-029 Type: Downloadable
Description
Green and sustainable construction practices and projects are increasing across the industry, from residential renovations to large commercial projects to industrial retrofits. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which promotes the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification system, has more than 20,000 member organizations, including AIHA. Buildings represent about 40 percent of U.S. energy use, and reducing building-related energy and environmental impacts is recognized as a clear national need. Less clear is the relationship between emerging green and sustainable practices and occupational safety and health. Do green practices offer benefits for safety and health? What steps should we take to better integrate safety and health into these practices? Roundtable speakers will address various facets of this issue, including a report on NIOSH's "Making Green Jobs Safe" workshop, an evaluation of injury experience on green jobs, and perspectives on a way forward. The roundtable will also include discussion of spray polyurethane foam (SPF) as a green construction case study where steps are being taken to integrate safety and health considerations into practice.