Background:

The Appleton Area OSHA Office, Calpine Corporation, and the Wisconsin Safety and Health Consultation Program joined together to form a Partnership during the construction of the Fox Energy Center. The Center is a 550-mega watt power plant that was constructed in Kaukauna, Wisconsin at a cost of approximately $380 million. All contractors and labor organizations working at the site were partners and were active in the Partnership.

The Partnership was signed in January 2005. On June 27, 2006, the OSHA Appleton Area Office issued plaques and certificates to the major stakeholders (including unions) in recognition of their outstanding job of limiting injuries and illnesses during the Partnership. A total of seventeen different contractors with 2,420 employees worked 1,450,319 hours at the site over the course of this project. The project is now completed.

Success Impact:

Safety and Health Training Increased and Injuries and Illnesses below BLS National Average

Training was a focus of the Partnership. All 2,420 employees working at the site received at least one site-specific safety and health training course. Seventy-five managers received OSHA 30-hour training and over 270 employees received the OSHA 10-hour training. Over 28,000 total hours of training were conducted at the site as a result of the Partnership.

The Partnership's final evaluation showed a Total Case Injury Rate (TCIR) of 3.17 – 50 percent below the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) national average of 6.4 for the construction industry. It also showed a Days Away, Restricted or Transferred (DART) rate of 0.41 – 88 percent below the national average rate of 3.5. The below table presents the Partnership's TCIR and DART rates compared to the BLS national averages for the construction industry:

Partnership Objectives:

The Partnership's key objectives were to have injury and illness rates below the BLS national average by identifying and addressing the hazards, and promoting and recognizing contractors who have implemented an effective safety and health management system.

Origin: Region V, Appleton Area Office

Partners: Calpine Construction Management Company, Inc., Calpine Operations, GE Medical Systems, The Boldt Company, AZCO Integrated Construction, Response Security, Inc., Van Ert Electric Company, Inc., Calmin & Gross, Newton Group, MEI, Avalotis, and Versi Tech

Union Partners: Northern Wisconsin Regional Council of Carpenters (NWRCC), FRVP&SF local 400 (Fox River Valley Plumbers & Steamfitters), Iron Workers Local 8, and Labors Local 300

Partnership Signed: January 2005

Industry: Construction (NAICS Code 23899, 23832, 23821, 541641, 813930, 23799, 221112, 23827, 23812, 561612, SIC Code 1799, 1721, 1731, 7389, 8631, 1629, 4911, 1796, 1791, 7381, respectively)

Employees: 2,420

Employers: 17

Source and Date: Mark Chasco, Region V, Appleton, WI Area Office / August 2006