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Sep 15, 2009

Development and Initial Validation of Sustainable Construction Safety and Health Rating System

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Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 135, Issue 10

Abstract

This paper presents a study to develop and validate a sustainable construction safety and health (SCSH) rating system. The rating system provides an opportunity to rate projects based on the importance given to construction worker safety and health and the degree of implementation of safety and health elements. A Delphi survey using an expert panel of 12 experienced safety and health professionals representing different sectors of the construction industry was employed to develop the SCSH rating system. The study resulted in a rating system consisting of a total of 50 safety and health elements organized into 13 categories. Each category contains safety and health elements which carry credits based on their effectiveness in preventing construction worker injuries and illnesses. The rating system was initially validated based on data from 25 construction projects and found to accurately represent the safety performance of large projects. The SCSH rating system can be used as an effective tool to develop and plan construction safety and health programs and evaluate the potential safety performance of construction projects.

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Acknowledgments

Appreciation is extended to the Delphi panel members for their participation in the study. The researchers are very grateful for the invaluable time and expertise provided by the panelists for the research study. The researchers also thank Dr. Michael Behm for his assistance with the data analysis, and the companies that provided project data to make validation of the research possible.

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Information & Authors

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Go to Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 135Issue 10October 2009
Pages: 1067 - 1075

History

Received: Aug 20, 2007
Accepted: Mar 11, 2009
Published online: Sep 15, 2009
Published in print: Oct 2009

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Authors

Affiliations

Sathyanarayanan Rajendran [email protected]
Construction Safety Supervisor, Hoffman Construction Company, Portland, OR 97205. E-mail: [email protected]
John A. Gambatese [email protected]
Associated Professor, Dept. of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, Oregon State Univ., 220 Owen Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331 (corresponding author). E-mail: [email protected]

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