Background:

In April 2007, P.J. Hoerr Inc., the Illinois Onsite Safety and Health Consultation Program, and OSHA's Region V Peoria Area Office developed an OSHA Strategic Partnership (OSP) to implement during the Illinois Medical Center construction project. The Partnership was formed to reduce injury and illness rates and promote safety and health.

The construction project is an $18 million, five-story medical office building, with a two-story parking garage, and is expected to be completed in 2009. Over 20 contractors and approximately 250 employees are working at the site. This is the second Partnership that P.J. Hoerr has signed with OSHA.

Success Impact:

Recent Injury/Illness Data Demonstrates the Success of the Partnership

Over the past 14 months since the Partnership started, the Days Away, Restricted or Transferred (DART) rate for participating companies remains at zero and is 100% below the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) national average for the construction industry. The 14-month Total Case Incident Rate (TCIR) average is 45% below the BLS national average.

Testimonial

"The goal of lowering injury and illness rates was a success by signing and enacting the Partnership early in the project. The strict enforcement of safe work rules at a smaller project such as this puts all contractors on the 'same page' in working toward the goal of a having a zero accident worksite."

P.J. Hoerr Safety Coordinator

Self-Inspections and Safety and Health Training Key Focuses of Partnership

The promotion of self-inspections has been a focus of the Partnership and can be attributed to the Partnership's low injury and illness rates. Sixty-seven self-inspections have been performed, and a total of 55 hazards were identified and corrected before the end of each inspection.

In addition, two focused OSHA enforcement inspections were conducted at the site resulting in the site being in compliance both times. Two offsite verification inspections were also conducted with favorable results.

Increasing the number of safety and health training courses offered has also been a priority of this Partnership. To date, over 95 employees have been trained. The Partnership believes that increasing employee involvement is a very important factor in helping to meet its goals and objectives.

Partnership Objectives:

The Partnership's key objectives are to achieve injury and illness rates below the national average for the construction industry and promote a safe and healthful culture on the worksite.

• Origin: Region V, Peoria Area Office
• Partners: P.J. Hoerr, the Illinois Onsite Safety and Health Consultation Program
• Partnership Signed: April 2007
• Industry: Construction (NAICS Code 236220, SIC Code 1542)
• Employees: 250
• Employers: 20
• Source and Date: Ken Koroll, Nick Walters, James C. Dillard, Region V, Peoria Area Office / June 2008

Back row (right to left) Mark Buchanan, Ken Koroll (OSHA), Paul Bright, and Mike Kreutz Front row (right to left) Steve Williams, Bob Hoerr, Nick Walters (Peoria AD), and Dan Heinen