Perceptions about Design for Construction Worker Safety: Viewpoints from Contractors, Designers, and University Facility Owners
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 142, Issue 2
Abstract
Decisions made before construction can affect safety on the construction site, either positively or negatively. This was observed from past research that identified the link between design decisions and fatalities. The concept of implementing design decisions that positively affect safety falls under the general concept of prevention through design (PtD), which attempts to identify and mitigate hazards early in the design process to eliminate the risks of injury or damage during construction. Prevention through design is practiced in other countries, primarily through legislation. The objective of this paper is to present the results of a survey that was conducted to identify construction industry stakeholders’ views on the concept of PtD and gauge the possibility for implementing PtD in the U.S. construction industry through either legislation or other means. Four distinct groups were surveyed: engineers, architects, contractors, and owners. Within this study, PtD was described and introduced to survey participants as design for construction worker safety (DCWS) to differentiate PtD efforts in construction from efforts in other industries. The survey consisted of questions that asked about the industry’s knowledge of PtD and the extent of PtD practice in the United States, participants’ opinions on designer and owner safety knowledge and perceptions, and obstacles and enablers for designer participation in construction safety. The responses from the various groups were compared to identify the groups that are more receptive to the idea of designer participation in construction worker safety. The results showed that architects were the least receptive to the idea, whereas the other groups were more likely to be supportive, with some hesitations. Architects and engineers identified the existence of economic, legal, and contractual obstacles for designers to practice DCWS, whereas contractors only identified economic obstacles. No enablers were identified by any group. The research contributes additional information that can be used by construction industry practitioners and organizations desiring to expand and optimize PtD implementation in the United States. The research results can be used by project teams to plan for PtD education and training efforts on projects and by construction industry organizations to develop PtD diffusion strategies.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
ACEC (American Council of Engineering Companies). (2011). “ACEC organization directory.” 〈http://www.acec.org〉 (Nov. 8, 2011).
AIA (American Institute of Architects). (2011). “The American Institute of Architects—Find an architect.” 〈http://architectfinder.aia.org/〉 (Nov. 8, 2011).
Behm, M. (2004). “Legal and ethical issues in designing for construction safety and health.” Design for safety and health in construction, University of Oregon Press, Eugene, OR.
Behm, M. (2005). “Linking construction fatalities to the design for construction safety concept.” Saf. Sci., 43(8), 589–611.
BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics). (2013). “Census of fatal occupational injuries (CFOI)—Current and revised data.” 〈http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm#2011〉 (Feb. 21, 2013).
BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics). (2014). “Census of fatal occupational injuries (CFOI)—Current and revised data.” 〈http://www.bls.gov/iif〉 (Jul. 15, 2015).
Camino López, M. A., et al. (2008). “Construction industry accidents in Spain.” J. Saf. Res., 39(5), 497–507.
Cook, C., et al. (2000). “A meta-analysis of response rates in web- or internet-based surveys.” Educ. Psychol. Meas., 60(6), 821–836.
EEC (European Economic Community). (1989). “Council directive on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work.”, Brussels, Belgium.
EEC (European Economic Community). (1992). “Council directive on the implimentation of minimum safety requirements at temporaty or mobile construction sites.”, Brussels, Belgium.
European Foundation. (1991). “From drawing board to building site: Working conditions, quality, economic performance.”, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Dublin, Ireland.
Eurostat. (2014). “Statistics.” 〈http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/statistics/search_database〉 (Jul. 15, 2014).
Gambatese, J. A. (2000a). “Designer involvement in construction site safety.” Proc., Construction Congress VI: Building Together for a Better Tomorrow in an Increasingly Complex World, ASCE, Reston, VA.
Gambatese, J. A. (2000b). “Owner involvement in construction site safety.” Proc., Construction Congress VI: Building Together for a Better Tomorrow in an Increasingly Complex World, ASCE, Reston, VA.
Gibb, A., et al. (2014). “Construction accident causality: Learning from different countries and differing consequences.” Constr. Manage. Econ., 32(5), 446–459.
Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. (2007). “The construction (design and management) regulations 2007.” Health and Safety 2007 No. 320, London.
Hinze, J. (1994). “A study of the construction activity projections for 1995.” Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Rosslyn, VA.
Hinze, J. (2001). Construction contracts, McGraw Hill, New York.
Hinze, J. (2006). Construction safety, 2nd Ed., Pearson Education, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Hinze, J., and Wiegand, F. (1992). “Role of designers in construction worker safety.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 677–684.
Huang, X., and Hinze, J. (2006). “Owner’s role in construction safety.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 164–173.
INSHT (Instituto Nacional de Seguridad e Higiene en el Trabajo). (1997). “REAL DECRETO 1627/1997, de 24 de Octubre, por el que se establecen disposiciones mínimas de seguridad y salud en las obras de construcción.” Ministerio de Presidencia—Departamentos Implicados, Madrid, Spain.
Le, C. T. (1998). Applied categorical data analysis, Wiley, New York.
LimeSurvey version 1.0 [Computer software]. The LimeSurvey Project, 〈https://www.limesurvey.org/en/〉.
López Arquillos, A., et al. (2012). “Analysis of construction accidents in Spain, 2003–2008.” J. Saf. Res., 43(5–6), 381–388.
Manuele, F. (2009). “Safety through design.” Accident prevention manual for business & industry: Engineering & technology, P. E. Hagan, J. F. Montgomery, and J. T. O’Reilly, eds., National Safety Council, Itasca, IL, 3–35.
Manuele, F. A. (2008). “Prevention through design (PtD): History and future.” J. Saf. Res., 39(2), 127–130.
NOH&SC (National Occupational Health and Safety Commission). (2014). “Safe work Australia, national occupational health & safety commission.” 〈http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au〉 (Mar. 2, 2014).
NSW Workcover. (2001). “CHAIR—Safety design tool.” Gosford, NSW, Australia.
Nwaelele, O. D. (1996). “Prudent owners take proactive approach.” Prof. Saf., 41(4), 27–29.
Peterson’s. (2011). “StudentEdge.” 〈http://www.studentedge.com/studentedge/〉 (Nov. 8, 2011).
Ramsey, F. L., and Schafer, D. W. (2002). The statistical sleuth: A course in methods of data analysis, Duxbury, Pacific Grove, CA.
Siegel, S., and Castellan, N. J. (1988). Nonparametric statistics for the behavioral sciences, 2nd Ed., McGraw-Hill, New York.
Toole, T. M. (2002). “Construction site safety roles.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 203–210.
Toole, T. M. (2005). “Increasing engineers’ role in construction safety: Opportunities and barriers.” J. Prof. Issues Eng. Educ. Pract., 199–207.
Toole, T. M. (2011). “Internal impediments to ASCE’s vision 2025.” Leadership Manage. Eng., 197–207.
USCB (U.S. Census Bureau Divisions). (2011). “Economic census: Regions and divisions.” 〈http://www.census.gov/econ/census07/www/geography/regions_and_divisions.html〉 (Nov. 8, 2011).
WSHC (Workplace Safety and Health Council). (2013). “Workplace safety & health, 2013—National statistics.” WSH Institute, Singapore.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 7, 2014
Accepted: Aug 7, 2015
Published online: Sep 30, 2015
Published in print: Feb 1, 2016
Discussion open until: Feb 29, 2016
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.