Background:

The Associated Builders and Contractors Heart of America Chapter (ABCHOAC) formed an OSHA Strategic Partnership (OSP) in July 2007 to promote safety and health during all phases of construction in the state of Kansas by recognizing participants that meet OSHA standards and promote safety and health on their worksites. The primary goal of the OSP is to reduce the number and severity of injuries, illnesses, and fatalities caused by the four major hazards that occur within the construction industry: falls, struck-by, caught-in-between, and electrocution.

An additional goal of the OSP is to increase the number of participants who implement ABC’s Safety Training and Evaluation Process (STEP) program and progress to Platinum status – the highest level of safety recognition within the program. Achieving the Platinum status level involves meeting stringent safety criteria including: attaining a minimum 20-key component score, taking the OSHA 10-hour construction training, achieving zero fatalities and/or catastrophic incidents over the past three years, and developing a site-specific safety and health program. Once attained, employers must maintain their Platinum status each year in order to remain eligible for OSP participation.

Success Impact:

OSP Meets Key Goal of Reducing Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities Due to Four Major Construction Hazards

During its first year, the OSP achieved an aggregate Total Case Incident Rate (TCIR) and Days Away, Restricted, and Transferred (DART) rate of 4.06 and 1.39, respectively, which is 25 percent and 50 percent below the 2007 Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) national average for the construction industry. Additionally, the OSP’s three-year average TCIR and DART rate were 34 percent and 42 percent, respectively, below the BLS national average. The table below presents the participants’ injury and illness data over the past three years and compares the three-year average to the 2007 BLS national average.

Increased Safety and Health Training Leads to Safety Excellence

Increasing safety training has been another key focus of the OSP. During the first year, over 11,000 hours and 380 safety and health training sessions were conducted, resulting in almost 1,000 employees and managers receiving training. Training topics included: fall protection, tool-box safety talks, self-inspections and key industry hazards, and OSHA’s 10-hour course.

Partnership Objectives:

Key objectives of the OSP are to: develop a contractor/government collaboration that encourages employers in the construction industry to improve their safety and health performance, strive for the elimination of serious accidents in the construction industry, and promote participation in the ABC STEP Program.

Origin: OSHA Region VII, Wichita Area Office

Partners: Excel, Fogel Anderson, Grimm Construction, Service Electric, Shawhan Sheet Metal, Faith Industries, Straub Construction, The Meyer Companies, and Wachter Electric

Partnership Signed: July 11, 2007

Industry Code Description (NAICS Code): Construction (23)

Employees: 709

Employers: 9

Source: Jacalyn Wheeler, OSPP Coordinator for Region VII