Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin Partnership Promotes Safety and Health Awareness in the Construction Industry
Background:
The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Wisconsin (WI) OSHA Strategic Partnership (OSP) was formed in May 2007 to promote a safe and healthful work environment for employees within the construction industry. The OSP provides assistance and incentives to contractors who voluntarily participate in the ABC National Safety Training and Evaluation Process (STEP) program and demonstrate that they have developed and implemented an effective safety and health management system (SHMS). The expected completion date of the OSP is July 2010.
Success Impact:
Increased Safety and Health Training Leads to More Attention to Potential Hazards Onsite
Increasing the number of safety and health training sessions offered has been a key focus of the OSP. During the first year, close to 5,000 hours and over 1,000 safety and health training sessions were conducted. Approximately 3,890 employees were trained and 1,100 managers and supervisors.
In January 2009, the OSP hosted the Construction Workers Safety Conference where 715 participants were in attendance. During the conference the OSHA 10-hour course was offered (in addition to providing the 10-hour course through apprenticeship training). Also, the Wisconsin Area Office conducted a VPP training session for ABC member companies that are pursuing Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) recognition - OSHA's premier recognition program.
As a result of the increase in safety and health training, more employees brought potential jobsite hazards to the attention of their supervisors. Close to 1,700 self-inspections were performed resulting in over 5,000 hazards being identified and corrected. Also, 11 OSHA enforcement inspections were conducted resulting in 100 percent compliance.
Injury and Illness Rates Below National Average - Days Away, Restricted, and Transferred (DART) Rate, Total Case Incident Rate (TCIR)
The recent injury and illness data demonstrates the success of the OSP. So far to date, the OSP's average injury and illness rates have been below the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) national average for construction. The chart below is representative of the injury and illness data collected during the first year of the OSP:
|
DART |
TCIR |
# of Fatalities |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1: 2007 |
.7 |
4.7 |
0 |
| BLS Industry National Average (2007) |
2.8 |
5.4 |
-- |
| Percentage Difference |
75% |
13% |
-- |
During the first year of the OSP, member companies worked 3,391,270 hours. As shown above, the OSP's overall TCIR was 4.7 (13 percent below the 2007 BLS rate of 5.4 for all construction), and the DART rate was .7 (75 percent below the 2007 BLS rate of 2.8 for all construction).
Partnership Objectives:
Key objectives of the OSP include reducing injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in the construction industry by addressing key industry hazards (falls, electrocution, caught in-between, and struck-by); increasing safety and health training; promoting recognition for construction safety excellence; implementing best practices and effective SHMS; and increasing collaborative relationships between stakeholders.