EPA Guidelines refer to the guidelines written up by the Environment Protection Authority in your state or territory of residence. If you are an active member of the construction industry in Australia, then understanding these guidelines is important as they cover a lot of the activities that typically take place on a worksite. This short article will cover some examples of the guidelines that you will likely find in your state or territory. The best way to get access to these is by visiting the EPA website of your corresponding state or territory.
Sometimes you might hear the term Environmental Standard or standards. Don’t get confused by this as this is pretty much the equivalent of EPA Guidelines in Australia. It must not be forgotten that such environmental guidelines exist in all developed nations and now a large number of developing nations throughout the world.
Guidelines Example
The South Australian EPA website is a good example of a government site that provides information about EPA Guidelines in an easy-to-follow manner.
On their main page, all guidelines are provided in PDF format so that anyone can download them for their own convenience. In addition, they are all listed in alphabetical order making it relatively easy to find the one you want. Some of the topics covered that are likely to affect construction sites include:
- Spill management
- Construction noise
- Hazardous waste
- Site contamination
- The Environment Protection Noise Policy
Refer to the website for more topics that could impact on environmental safety. Keep on the lookout for Environmental Guidelines For Major Construction Sites if it applies to your situation. The bottom line is that such guidelines must be complied with if you wish to avoid paying large financial penalties or face prosecution.
EPA Guidelines leave absolutely no room for laziness or negligence when it comes to construction environmental management.
