Construction sites are sometimes found close to residential and built-up areas. Such construction sites must pay close attention to potential environmental and health issues that may develop from their worksites. It is their responsibility to guarantee that residents are not subjected to nuisances or public health hazards.
On the 1st of April 2000, Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) initiated a thoughtful scheme- Environmental Control Officers (ECO) intended for Construction Sites (CS). The scheme aims at helping construction projects in identifying and correcting these problems before work begins and as work progresses. Qualified staff are taught to handle environmental management issues under the ECO (CS) programme, with a focus on vector control, noise control, food hygiene and waste management.
According to the NEA, building sites must hire either a part-time ECO if the contract amount exceeds $10 million but does not exceed $50 million, or a full-time ECO if the contract amount surpasses $50 million.
What is an Environmental Control Officer
An Environmental Control Officer’s (ECO) job is to keep an eye out for conditions or situations on building sites that are causing or are likely to cause environmental health problems. ECO should inform the contractor of these conditions/situations and make recommendations for corrective action to prevent a recurrence. The primary areas where the ECO should concentrate its effort are: insects and rodents that carry disease, proper construction waste/marine clay disposal, air and noise pollution, littering on the ground, clogging of drains, hygienic conditions in canteens and any other concerns about environmental health
An Environmental Control Officer’s (ECO) job is to keep an eye out for conditions or situations on building sites that are causing or are likely to cause environmental health problems.
ECO Officers System Code of Practice
The ECO Officers Code of Practice outlines the roles and responsibilities of the ECO, the occupier of the construction site, as well as what is expected of both. Construction sites require ECOs to actively monitor and prevent environmental health hazards. Their responsibilities include advising building site contractors on environmental remediation techniques, enabling compliance with environmental regulations, conducting site inspections, engaging stakeholders for environmental violations and educating workers on environmental health standards. ECOs are responsible for the following aspects:
Vector Control Food Hygiene Waste Management Noise Management Air Pollution and Dust Abatement Earth Littering Water Pollution and Earth Control Sanitary Facilities Management
Similarly, the occupier of designated construction sites must pay attention to environmental health issues in order to minimise public nuisances in the construction site’s immediate vicinity. This includes collaborating with the ECO and all construction site staff to ensure that acceptable environmental health standards are followed.
Site Environmental Control Programme and Report
The ECO Officers Singapore must collaborate with the occupier of the specified construction site to establish, implement and monitor environmental management plans in the form of an SECP, as well as revise them as needed. Within one month of the start of work on the selected construction site, the occupier must sign and submit the SECP prepared by the ECO online, following the procedures in the Code of Practice.
The ECO is also expected to submit a SECR to the occupier of the specified construction site on a regular basis after the start of construction works, using the template supplied in the Code of Practice. The SECR is used to evaluate the construction site’s activities. Improvements should be made when appropriate to supplement the SECP’s present work. The occupier must sign the SECR generated by the ECO, file the reports and make them available for review at any time by the DGPH or a public health inspector.
ECO Officers Employment Notification
Any change in employment of ECO in the construction site must be reported to NEA by submitting a partial re-submission of the SECP electronically. The occupier must engage another personnel within 14 days of terminating, suspending or cancelling existing ECO.
Non-Compliance Penalties
The Environmental Public Health Act governs the ECO Officers Singapore system. Contravening or failing to comply with any of the clauses listed in the Act or its supplementary legislations is a crime for the ECO or PM/Occupier of the construction site. The Code of Practice lists the numerous offences that apply to the ECO and the PM/Occupier of the building site.
Green Tech Provision of Environmental Control Officers (ECO)
Green Tech ECO Officers Singapore offer a wide range of services to prospective clients in Singapore. Our qualified ECOs take care of the below services:
Keep disease-carrying vectors and rodents under control. Create and submit an environmental plan. Assist with solid trash management and disposal. Keep dust and noise pollution minimal. Oversee the project’s/general site’s housekeeping management. Maintain drainage and slit control, as well as air and water pollution.
The job of an Environmental Control Officer (ECO) is to keep an eye out for conditions or situations on building sites that are harmful to the environment. ECO should inform the contractor of these conditions or situations and make recommendations for corrective action to avoid a recurrence. Before beginning work, all competent Environmental Control Officers (ECOs) must register with the NEA. Construction sites are required by the code of practice to employ either a part-time or full-time ECO, depending on the contract sum of the construction works.
ECOs are responsible for actively monitoring and preventing environmental health issues on building sites. Environmental Control Officers (ECO) from Green Tech have great expertise in the industry, are immediately available and can cover your temporary employee absence. Hire professional expertise of Green Tech ECOs for hassle-free and compliance friendly construction projects in Singapore.