RESEARCH DEMONSTRATES CONSTRUCTION WORKER HEALTH PROTECTION IS LINKED TO SPECIFIC SAFETY MANAGEMENT ELEMENTS The University of Tennessee UT Safety Center Dr. Susan Smith Dr. Tyler Kress Dr. Gregory Petty

Worker Health Protection is linked to the elements of: Management Commitment Management Commitment Employee Involvement Employee Involvement Work-site Analysis Work-site Analysis Hazard Prevention & Control Hazard Prevention & Control Safety Training Safety Training –US Department of Labor, 1989

Who Wins? Employees Employees –Reduced number and severity of accidents affects personal and family quality of living Management/Companies Management/Companies –Reduced costs results in increased profits and greater competitiveness Government Government –Public health is affected by decreased load on government health and rehabilitation programs

Safety Management Elements Few data based studies support safety management elements from reduced costs and injuries. Few data based studies support safety management elements from reduced costs and injuries. Management/Companies resist spending money on safety management elements because there is little evidence to support this expense. Management/Companies resist spending money on safety management elements because there is little evidence to support this expense.

Who Loses? Short term Short term –Management/Companies will need to invest money “up front” to hire safety managers –Management/Companies must spend money to join and attend professional conferences –Management/Companies must spend money and provide the time for staff and management to attend safety training Long term – see “Who Wins?” section above Long term – see “Who Wins?” section above

Who Cares? This study indicates that safety training and use of safety managers reduces costs and injuries in the hazardous construction industry. This study indicates that safety training and use of safety managers reduces costs and injuries in the hazardous construction industry. More research is needed to further support this position More research is needed to further support this position

Safety Practices Survey Questionnaires were sent to 305 construction companies in Tennessee Questionnaires were sent to 305 construction companies in Tennessee 89 of 305 (29%) responded 89 of 305 (29%) responded Surveys focused on rates and costs of injuries and safety practices followed by the company Surveys focused on rates and costs of injuries and safety practices followed by the company

Determination of Costs of Injuries To fairly determine costs, a factor of workers compensation cost the Experience Modification Rate (EMR) was utilized in this study To fairly determine costs, a factor of workers compensation cost the Experience Modification Rate (EMR) was utilized in this study Companies with lower than average losses are assigned a EMR of less than 1.0, while companies with higher than average losses are assigned an EMR of greater than 1.0. Companies with lower than average losses are assigned a EMR of less than 1.0, while companies with higher than average losses are assigned an EMR of greater than 1.0. Survey responses were grouped into two categories Survey responses were grouped into two categories 1.High Cost/High Injury Rates (EMR >1.0) 2.Low Cost/Low Injury Rates (EMR <1.0)

Findings Companies with Low Cost/Low Injury Rates (EMR <1.0) demonstrated a significant relationship with: Companies with Low Cost/Low Injury Rates (EMR <1.0) demonstrated a significant relationship with: –Employed full time safety manager (p=0.015) –Use of pre-job brief (p=0.013) –Written drug/alcohol programs (p=0.014) –Attendance at AGC conferences (p=0.027)

Findings Low Cost/Low Injury Rates (EMR <1.0) were found for larger Construction Companies with 51 or more employees (p=0.008) that: Low Cost/Low Injury Rates (EMR <1.0) were found for larger Construction Companies with 51 or more employees (p=0.008) that: –performed drug testing (p=0.015) –participated in AGC professional conferences (p=0.011

Findings Low Cost/Low Injury Rates (EMR <1.0) for those Construction Companies with a full- time Safety Manager that: Low Cost/Low Injury Rates (EMR <1.0) for those Construction Companies with a full- time Safety Manager that: –presented pre-job briefs (p=0.009) –had written drug/alcohol program (p=0.018) –performed drug testing (p=0.002) –tracked injury costs (p=0.023) –performed weekly safety inspections (p=0.003)

Findings Companies that reported written & clearly defined safety responsibilities had: Companies that reported written & clearly defined safety responsibilities had: –drug/alcohol prevention programs (p<0.001) –emergency preparedness programs (p<0.001) –company safety policy (p=0.012) –tracked injury costs (p=0.001) –tracked first aid cases (p=0.01) –tracked near misses (p=0.005) –conducted safety training (p=0.039) –conducted safety inspections (p=0.001) –had established safety committees (p=0.048)

Conclusions Implementation of sound safety programs has led to reductions in fatalities & injuries Implementation of sound safety programs has led to reductions in fatalities & injuries Study found that companies with lower EMR reported high number of key safety management practices Study found that companies with lower EMR reported high number of key safety management practices More studies are needed that quantitatively identifies effective safety program elements More studies are needed that quantitatively identifies effective safety program elements

Conclusions (continued) Increasing Worker Health Protection is affected by the following key safety management practices: Increasing Worker Health Protection is affected by the following key safety management practices: –Hiring a full-time safety manager –Presenting pre-job briefs –Implementing drug/alcohol programs –Attending safety conferences –Tracking injuries –Conducting safety inspections –Clearly defining safety roles –Reporting of the Safety Manager to Executive Management & attending management meetings

Conclusions (continued) Costs of construction fatalities & serious injuries include both human suffering and economic losses Costs of construction fatalities & serious injuries include both human suffering and economic losses Construction companies can improve safety image of the industry and positively impact the bottom-line by implementing sound safety management practices Construction companies can improve safety image of the industry and positively impact the bottom-line by implementing sound safety management practices Investment in safety pays dividends in both human and economic terms Investment in safety pays dividends in both human and economic terms