TY - BOOK
T1 - Construction site safety
T2 - Case United States
AU - Koota, Jaana
N1 - .
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Attention to occupational health and safety in the
construction companies has increased in the United States
over the past decades. The 1990s is called the "decade
for construction safety". The high number of fatal
accidents and injuries has led to the greater emphasis on
safety. Although construction work has become safer
during the years, there is still need for further
improvements to reduce the numbers of fatalities and
serious injuries in the industry. The construction
industry in the United States employs about 5% of entire
industrial workforce. However, the construction sector
has generally accounted for nearly 20% of all industrial
worker deaths. According the statistics, 18% of
work-related deaths and 15% of all workers' compensation
cases occur in the construction industry. Approximately
1000 construction workers are killed each year. Accidents
in the construction industry alone cost over $17 million
annually (1993).
Falls are the most common source of construction worker
fatalities. After falls, the most common cause of
fatalities was being struck. Incidents in which a worker
was caught in or between objects were the third most
common cause of construction worker fatalities.
Electrical shock was the fourth most common cause of
fatalities. Of all fatalities, 11% are the result of
contacts with overhead power lines.
Construction Industry Institute (CII) has an on-going
research group, "Making Zero Accident a Reality", whose
purpose is to develop a communication and education
component to assist in understanding and implementation
of best practices that support a Zero Accident culture.
CII studies indicate that use of the Safety Best
Practices may also contribute to improved cost and
schedule performance. Contractors can expect to save more
than $500 000 on the typical $50 million heavy industrial
project and get schedule reductions from 6 to more than 9
weeks by making full use of the Safety Best Practices.
Drug and alcohol testing is one part of Safety Best
Practices, but it is a controversial topic in which the
rights of workers to privacy and freedom of choice in
their private behavior are pitted against the rights of
the company and its workers rights to have a safe and
productive workplace. Drug testing is shown to be
effective in reducing the incidence of injuries. It is a
common means of addressing safety, especially on large
projects or in large construction companies.
Many companies in the construction industry have made
studies in accident prevention. Over the last twenty
years the construction death rate has been reduced about
40% by the industry in general. Certain groups of
companies have reduced the death rate even up to 60%.
There are many companies in the United States, especially
in the petrochemical construction industry, that have
made significant progress in reaching near zero accident
rates.
OSHA Standards are focused on general industry, maritime,
agriculture and construction. In general, the greatest
emphasis is placed on the general industry standards. The
construction industry must comply with the Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) for the Construction Industry
(29, CFR Part 1926) and the code for the General Industry
(29, CFR Part 1910). All employers and employees in the
construction sector are required to comply with these
standards.
Determining whether a contractor/subcontractor can
perform a job safely is difficult. Safety performance
measures are used primarily to compare different units or
groups of individuals and also to compare one unit or
group of individuals over time. There are two different
types of measures presently in use: OSHA reportable
injury incidence rates and experience modification
ratings (EMR).
AB - Attention to occupational health and safety in the
construction companies has increased in the United States
over the past decades. The 1990s is called the "decade
for construction safety". The high number of fatal
accidents and injuries has led to the greater emphasis on
safety. Although construction work has become safer
during the years, there is still need for further
improvements to reduce the numbers of fatalities and
serious injuries in the industry. The construction
industry in the United States employs about 5% of entire
industrial workforce. However, the construction sector
has generally accounted for nearly 20% of all industrial
worker deaths. According the statistics, 18% of
work-related deaths and 15% of all workers' compensation
cases occur in the construction industry. Approximately
1000 construction workers are killed each year. Accidents
in the construction industry alone cost over $17 million
annually (1993).
Falls are the most common source of construction worker
fatalities. After falls, the most common cause of
fatalities was being struck. Incidents in which a worker
was caught in or between objects were the third most
common cause of construction worker fatalities.
Electrical shock was the fourth most common cause of
fatalities. Of all fatalities, 11% are the result of
contacts with overhead power lines.
Construction Industry Institute (CII) has an on-going
research group, "Making Zero Accident a Reality", whose
purpose is to develop a communication and education
component to assist in understanding and implementation
of best practices that support a Zero Accident culture.
CII studies indicate that use of the Safety Best
Practices may also contribute to improved cost and
schedule performance. Contractors can expect to save more
than $500 000 on the typical $50 million heavy industrial
project and get schedule reductions from 6 to more than 9
weeks by making full use of the Safety Best Practices.
Drug and alcohol testing is one part of Safety Best
Practices, but it is a controversial topic in which the
rights of workers to privacy and freedom of choice in
their private behavior are pitted against the rights of
the company and its workers rights to have a safe and
productive workplace. Drug testing is shown to be
effective in reducing the incidence of injuries. It is a
common means of addressing safety, especially on large
projects or in large construction companies.
Many companies in the construction industry have made
studies in accident prevention. Over the last twenty
years the construction death rate has been reduced about
40% by the industry in general. Certain groups of
companies have reduced the death rate even up to 60%.
There are many companies in the United States, especially
in the petrochemical construction industry, that have
made significant progress in reaching near zero accident
rates.
OSHA Standards are focused on general industry, maritime,
agriculture and construction. In general, the greatest
emphasis is placed on the general industry standards. The
construction industry must comply with the Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) for the Construction Industry
(29, CFR Part 1926) and the code for the General Industry
(29, CFR Part 1910). All employers and employees in the
construction sector are required to comply with these
standards.
Determining whether a contractor/subcontractor can
perform a job safely is difficult. Safety performance
measures are used primarily to compare different units or
groups of individuals and also to compare one unit or
group of individuals over time. There are two different
types of measures presently in use: OSHA reportable
injury incidence rates and experience modification
ratings (EMR).
KW - construction
KW - occupational safety
KW - accidents
KW - injuries
KW - accident prevention
KW - costs
KW - management
KW - legislation
KW - safety standards
KW - USA
M3 - Report
SN - 951-38-5931-2
T3 - VTT Tiedotteita - Meddelanden - Research Notes
BT - Construction site safety
PB - VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
CY - Espoo
ER -