As contractors start gearing up for the peak storm and summer seasons in markets across the country, so are federal regulators. For the first time, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a rule banning the continued use of asbestos under the revised Toxic Substances Control Act adopted in 2016. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) also recently launched the first nationwide emphasis program on heat standards for the construction trades.

 In this brief Legal Insights video, Roofing Contractor Editor Art Aisner asks legal expert Trent Cotney, partner at Adams and Reese, to discuss the latest developments, and what contractors need to know. Cotney also reminds contractors to update their safety manuals.

“Your safety manual is a living, breathing document. It’s not something you created four or five years ago and never look at again,” Cotney explains. “The key thing OSHA is always looking for is that you have a culture of safety with ongoing toolbox talks, ongoing safety audits, and third-party consultants. Things that show you are trying to get it right from the top to the bottom.”

View the video here or visit our podcast page to download the audio version.