CONSTRUCTION PHASE HEALTH & SAFETY PLAN

 
 

 

 

 

 

CONSTRUCTION

PHASE

HEALTH & SAFETY PLAN                                            
 

 

 

 

CONSTRUCTION

PHASE

HEALTH & SAFETY PLAN                                            
In 2007, in what the press referred to as “the year of China recalls”, the Consumer
Product Safety Commission recalled over 110 million Chinese products, the largest recall effort
in recent history (Goodden, 2008). Recall efforts were not only focused on consumer products
such as toys, but involved a wide range of other controversial and emotionally charged
consumables such as foods and medicines (Field, 2008; Brockwell, 2008). The problem gained
heightened public attention and resulted in calls for action at the federal level. In reaction to the
crises, a multiple-agency federal working group was formed. Headed by Secretary of Human
Services, the working group developed an action plan to implement policy and programs to
address the issue. The working group presented their report to the President of the United States
in November 2007 which outlines 14 major recommendations and 50 action steps to protect
consumers from unsafe imported goods while continuing to encourage a prosperous global
market economy (Action Plan for Import Safety, 2007). The report to the President was titled
“Action Plan for Import Safety” (APIS). The complexity of the import safety problem is broad
and encompassing and includes 13 major government agencies, food and drug administration,
and various protection commissions. It also involved coordination and agreements with foreign
nations, with special focus on China; $2 trillion in annual imports; 800,000 importers; countless
manufacturers; and 300 ports-of-entry (Action Plan for Import Safety). The economic and safety
impact is of such a magnitude that the implementation of responsible public policy is and should
be a matter of careful scrutiny and testing.