Construction

Guide to complying with laws and regulations that apply to construction businesses and the construction industry.

Energy Efficiency Standards

• Appliances and Commercial Equipment Standards Program
  Provides manufactures with information about the laws, regulations, and standards.
  
  
• Building Energy Codes : Compliance Tools
  The Dept. of Energy provides support for various energy codes by providing compliance tools that simplify the compliance process. You may demonstrate compliance for both residential and commercial buildings using these software tools or pencil and paper.
  
  
• Building Energy Codes Program
  Provides links to software and training that assists builders in determining energy code compliance for both residential and commercial buildings.
  
  
• Building Energy Codes Resource Center
  Provides users with information about energy codes and beyond code technologies. Resources are available in a variety of different media types, including articles, graphics, online tools, presentations, and instructional videos.
  
  
• Commercial Compliance Using COMcheck
  The Dept. of Energy's COMcheck materials simplify and clarify commercial and high-rise residential energy code compliance. Forms and checklists are included for documenting compliance. Downloadable and web-based software allow builders to evaluate their commercial construction against International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) commercial codes.
  
  
• ENERGY STAR Business Improvement Guide
  Provides strategies, tools, professional assistance, and recognition opportunities to help you meet your goals and contribute to ENERGY STAR's nationwide challenge to improve the energy efficiency of facilities by 10 percent or more.
  
  
• ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy Management
  These guidelines for energy management can assist your organization in improving its energy and financial performance while distinguishing your organization as an environmental leader.
  
  
• ENERGY STAR for Small Businesses : FAQs
  Frequent questions asked by small businesses about the ENERGY STAR program.
  
  
• Energy Efficiency Claims and Labeling Requirements
  Current energy efficiency labeling requirements for consumer products issued pursuant to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.
  
  
• Energy Management Strategy : Tools and Resources
  ENERGY STAR connects you with a broad range of tools and resources to help you implement a successful energy management strategy.
  
  
• Residential Compliance Using REScheck
  The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) REScheck materials have been developed to simplify and clarify code compliance with the Model Energy Code (MEC), the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and a number of state codes. Downloadable and web-based software is available to determine energy code compliance for residential buildings.
  
  
• Workplace Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
  Learn how to use energy in your workplace more efficiently. You can also learn how to incorporate the use of renewable energy at work for cost savings.

Federal Contracting

• Construction Contractors' Technical Assistance Guide
  This Technical Assistance Guide is designed to help Federal and Federally-assisted construction contractors and subcontractors comply with the Federal laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination in employment, and require that the contractors undertake affirmative action to ensure equal employment opportunity in their workforces.
  
  
• Davis-Bacon and Related Acts
  Provides public access to Davis-Bacon information and supports the user in filling out the Report of Construction Contractor's Wage Rates (WD-10) Form.
  
  
• Federal Building Facilities Standards
  The Facilities Standards is a building standard: it is not a guideline, textbook, handbook, training manual or substitute for the technical competence expected of a design or construction professional.

Hazardous Materials

• Lead : Secondary Lead Smelter eTool
  This eTool is computer software to help employers (especially, small businesses) identify and understand common occupational safety and health hazards in their workplace(s) relating to lead smeltering.
  
  
• Lead Hotline
  The National Lead Information Center (NLIC) provides the general public and professionals with information about lead hazards and their prevention.
  
  
• Lead in Paint, Dust and Soil : Rules and Regulations
  General information about regulations under the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (Title X of the Toxic Substances Control Act)
  
  
• Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Rule
  This page provides information on the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Action of 1992.
  
  
• Model Standards and Techniques for Control of Radon in New Residential Buildings
  Provides information about this publication.
  
  
• OSHA eTool : Asbestos Advisor
  This Asbestos Expert Advisor is an interactive compliance assistance tool. Once installed, this computer program will interview the user about their buildings and worksites, and the kinds of tasks workers perform there. It will produce guidance on how the Asbestos standard may apply to those buildings and that work. Its guidance depends on your answers.
  
  
• OSHA eTool : Lead in Construction Advisor (downloadable)
  Downloadable version of the interactive expert Lead in Construction Advisor which helps users, especially small businesses, to understand OSHA's Lead in Construction standard.
  
  
• OSHA eTool : Lead in Construction Advisor (elaws)
  This Interactive Expert Lead in Construction Advisor is intended to help users, especially small business, to understand OSHA's Lead in Construction standard.
  
  
• Pre-Renovation Lead Information Rule
  Provides information about the 406(b) rule concerning renovating housing with lead-based paint.

Taxes

• Tax Guide for Construction Businesses
  The Construction area of IRS.GOV contains explanations of Federal tax topics related to the construction industry, news articles and educational IRS Publications.

Workplace Health & Safety

• OSHA eTool : Construction
  This eTool will help identify and control the hazards that commonly cause the most serious construction injuries. They are grouped under the following headings: electrical incidents; struck-by; trenching and excavation; and falls.
  
  
• OSHA eTool : Ergonomics eTool : Electrical Contractors
  This eTool is computer software to help employers (especially, small businesses) identify and understand common ergonomic occupational safety and health hazards in electrical contractor workplace(s).
  
  
• OSHA eTool : Scaffolding
  This eTool provides illustrated safety checklists for specific types of scaffolds. It identifies hazards, as well as the controls that keep those hazards from becoming tragedies.
  
  
• OSHA eTool : Steel Erection
  This eTool is designed to help protect employees from steel erection hazards when involved in the construction in the steel erecting industry. This eTool has been created to educate employers and workers about the OSHA steel erection rule. Topics include: site preparation; cranes; structural stability; metal buildings; (non-hoist) overhead hazards; fall protection; and training.
  
  
• Scaffold Standard for Construction : FAQs
  Information on scaffolding standards for the construction industry.