December 13th, 2018
Whether used for long-term housing or for short-term shelter following a disaster, for classrooms or for offices, manufactured structures should be safe and healthy for the people who live, work, study, and play in them. With Americans spending the
vast majority of their time indoors, it is vital that buildings protect occupants from the elements and provide privacy, comfort, and peace of mind. At the same time, these structures should not present risks to occupant’s health and safety due to design, construction, or maintenance problems.
This report identifies and summarizes safety and health issues in manufactured structures based on
a wide expanse of research. The end result is a thorough characterization of health and safety hazards in manufactured structures, along with mitigation strategies and discussions of opportunities for health/ safety enhancements and at-risk populations. The purpose of this manual is to provide information that will help protect the health and safety of persons who use manufactured structures. This document should be useful to many audiences, including:
- Manufacturers of the various types of manufactured structures
- Those who purchase, own and maintain manufactured structures
- Federal, state and local emergency response agencies
- Local government agencies involved in permitting and siting decisions
- Public health officials
- Individuals who live, work, study, and play in manufactured structures
This manual provides a consolidated source of information and an overview of health and safety issues associated with manufactured structures. This manual describes significant health and safety risks; highlights factors that distinguish manufactured structures from site-built structures; identifies causal and other risk factors for negative health/safety impacts on occupants; and presents advice about what steps manufacturers, purchasers, owners, and occupants of manufactured structures can take to prevent and control health and safety risks in manufactured structures. This manual identifies special challenges associated with manufactured structure’s role in helping to meet emergency response needs after natural disasters as well as potential opportunities to further reduce health and safety risks in manufactured structures and contribute to other national objectives. This document has no regulatory force. In addition, this manual provides links to a multitude of sources for more detailed information and advice.