Just as the Industrial Revolution’s introduction of novel machines, energy sources and materials outpaced existing safety laws, more recent scientific advances in engineering and technology continue to present new regulatory challenges. Sometimes it takes a sudden, tragic event to inspire the public and lawmakers to re-think and add to current safety measures. In the context of the different categories of building and infrastructure safety, the panel will discuss the overall legal and constitutional framework for protecting the public; some sample construction-related historical tragedies and their legal-liability disputes and regulatory reactions; examples of seminal national legislation, codes and standards; and recent state and local regulatory responses to tragedies in California, Florida and New York.

Tuesday Talks: It (occasionally) Takes a Tragedy - Regulatory Responses to Construction-Related Catastrophes

Speakers

Lisa Cappelluti

Partner, San Francisco

Virginia Trunkes

Partner, New York

Robin Sagstetter

Associate, Irvine