Student Education and Training Needs for Safety in Roadway Engineering Fieldwork
Publication: Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice
Volume 144, Issue 4
Abstract
Universities, colleges, and other learning institutions receive funding for research studies and data collection involving laboratory and field site work. Students are hired to work in the laboratory or field to gain experience, fulfill their educational requirements, and reduce the financial burden for their education. The safety of student researchers is commonly regarded as a top priority and is an important part of their education for their future careers. While on-campus laboratory safety for students is commonly stressed by many universities, field site safety is rarely mentioned. A study led by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) was conducted with assistance from Oregon State University (OSU) and Portland State University (PSU) to create a safety training manual and video for student workers and researchers who perform roadway engineering fieldwork. The study revealed safety education and training needs for students. To carry out field data collection, students may be required to work on a roadway, in the right-of-way, or close to live-traffic environments. Workers and researchers present on roadways are exposed to hazardous conditions which present the need for safety training to increase the skill level, hazard awareness, risk perception, and quick reactions of those conducting work operations. Unlike work conducted by permanent employees, work conducted by student workers and researchers typically involves temporary, short-term assignments, so students often only receive informal safety training when required to collect data in the field. Formal safety training resources are needed to provide students—who are the future employees of the transportation industry—with adequate knowledge and skills to ensure that they know how to work safely on roadways. This paper describes current practices related to student worker safety training and the results of a survey conducted to collect the perspectives of onsite engineers and experienced managers on student safety training needs. Conclusions and recommendations are reported based on safety training in university curricula, a comprehensive literature review, and the survey results.
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Acknowledgments
This study was funded by the Oregon Department of Transportation. The researchers would like to thank ODOT for providing funding and assisting with the distribution of the survey to all state DOTs. Through its inspiration and initiative, ODOT made possible this study and the creation of the safety training manual and safety training video for all future student workers and researchers. Appreciation is also given to the survey participants from the AGC Oregon-Columbia Chapter Highway Council, and the AGC of Washington member companies. Without their input and suggestions, this study would not have been possible. Additional appreciation is given to the professors from OSU and PSU who provided feedback regarding typical student researcher activities.
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©2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 2, 2018
Accepted: Jun 12, 2018
Published online: Aug 13, 2018
Published in print: Oct 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Jan 13, 2019
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