There are many types of laws that govern the manufacturing industry. These rules and regulations are intended to address a whole range of
manufacturing compliance facets, ranging from worker safety to environmental protection.
Here is a list of some of the most important and far-reaching examples of
manufacturing legislation that companies in the industry are expected to follow:
Chapter 85 of the United States Clean Air Act—Air Pollution Prevention and Control This federal law was put in place in 1963 to address air pollution in the nation, and has since been changed significantly to bring it up to date with subsequent industry developments. The legislation gives the Environmental Protection Agency the authority to put together and implement regulations that protect the public from hazardous airborne contaminants.
Pollution Prevention Act Companies in the manufacturing industry are sometimes perceived to be nefarious polluters by the public. Pollution prevention, also referred to as P2, addresses sources of pollution within the sector in the following ways:
- Altering production processes
- Encouraging the use of non-toxic or less toxic alternatives to dangerous substances
- Re-using and recycling materials, as opposed to letting them be discarded/disposed of as waste
- Introducing conservation techniques
Section 6(a) of the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) introduced this law in 1970. Its goal is to ensure national occupational safety and health standards are sufficiently promulgated in order to give manufacturing employees the best chances of being as informed as possible when it comes to safeguarding and improving their health and workplace safety. The act covers a diverse selection of health and safety issues, including means of egress, personal protective equipment, toxic and hazardous substances and electrical systems.
US Manufacturing Enhancement Act Signed by President Barack Obama at the height of the recession, this 2010 legislation amended the nation's Harmonized Tariff Schedule to temporarily modify rates of duty and reduce tariffs on materials and parts not easily available in the country, with the goal of easing expenses for U.S. manufacturers.
These pieces of legislation have markedly different goals—to mitigate and prevent pollution, protect workers' health and safety and cut costs for manufacturing companies—but complying with each is equally important.
