Enhancing Construction Worker Safety Performance Using Leading Indicators
Publication: Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
Volume 18, Issue 1
Abstract
Worker safety and health continue to be a huge concern for the construction industry. Construction contractors are always looking for new ideas that will help improve their company’s safety performance. One such idea is the utilization of safety performance indicators as part of contractor safety programs. There is no guidance in the safety literature to the contractors on the most effective leading indicators. The purpose of the study was to evaluate selected leading indicators under real project conditions and develop recommendations for their use by construction contractors. Three types of leading indicators were selected and tested for the study: pretask plan (PTP) review, worker safe behavior observation (WSBO), and site safety audits. To evaluate the leading indicators under real project conditions, a large construction project was selected from the western United States. It was found that pretask plan review and worker safe behavior observation can be used by contractors as leading indicators as part of their safety program. A WSBO is a better leading indicator compared with a PTP review indicator. These two indicators can help construction companies to devise intervention methods that can fix any weakness identified before there is an injury or incident. The paper provides two guidance checklists for contractors interested in implementing a WSBO and PTP review leading indicator program.
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Acknowledgments
The author acknowledges the company and the safety professionals involved in the case study construction project; their interest and the time and effort given to participating in the study and for allowing this study to be conducted on the project is appreciated.
References
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction
Volume 18 • Issue 1 • February 2013
Pages: 45 - 51
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 18, 2012
Accepted: May 23, 2012
Published online: May 26, 2012
Published in print: Feb 1, 2013
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