1 / 35

Overview

Designing for Construction Safety Lee Anne Jillings U.S. Dept. of Labor-OSHA John Mroszczyk , PhD, PE, CSP ASSE / Northeast Consulting Engineers, Inc. Mike Toole , PhD, PE Civil & Env . Engineering, Bucknell University. Overview. OSHA Alliance Program

benjamin
Download Presentation

Overview

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Designing for Construction SafetyLee Anne JillingsU.S. Dept. of Labor-OSHAJohn Mroszczyk,PhD, PE, CSPASSE / Northeast Consulting Engineers, Inc.Mike Toole, PhD, PECivil & Env. Engineering, Bucknell University

  2. Overview • OSHA Alliance Program • What is Designing for Construction Safety? • Why is it important? • How do Design Professionals fit in? • Potential Barriers • Examples • Resources

  3. OSHA Alliance Program • Purpose of Alliance Roundtables • Success of Construction Alliance Roundtable: • Fall Protection Workgroup • Design for Safety (DfS) Workgroup

  4. OSHA Alliance Program Construction Roundtable: DfS Workgroup Members • American Society of Safety Engineers • Independent Electrical Contractors • ADSC: International Association of Foundation Drilling • Laborers Health and Safety Fund of North America • Mason Contractors Association of America • National Fire Protection Association • National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health • Sealant, Waterproofing and Restoration Institute • Washington Group International

  5. DfS Workgroup Products • DfCS PowerPoint presentation • Presentations at National Conferences • 2 to 4 hour course for design professionals • www.designforconstructionsafety.org • Collaboration with NIOSH Prevention through Design initiative

  6. Designing for Construction Safety (DfCS) – What is it? • An extension of DfS to coverconstruction projects • Recognizes construction site safety as a design criterion • The process of addressing construction site safety and health in the design of a project

  7. U.S. Construction Accident Statistics1 • Nearly 200,000 serious injuries and 1,200 deaths each year • 7% of workforce but 21% of fatalities • Construction has one of the highest fatality rates of any industry sector 1Bureau of Labor Statistics-2005

  8. Construction Fatalities By Occupation1 • Total fatalities 1,234 • Construction laborers 283 • Carpenters 107 • Construction Managers 95 • Roofers 94 • First-line supervisors 93 • Electricians 70 • Painters/paper hangers 57 • Truck drivers 56 1 BLS,2004

  9. Why Is DfCS Necessary? • Currently there are no requirements for construction safety in building codes • IBC Chapter 33 Safeguards During Construction-Pedestrian Safety

  10. Typical Construction Project Arrangement • Project owner contracts separately with a architect/engineer and with a general contractor or a construction manager • Above entities may subcontract out some or all of the work to specialty trade contractors • Project owners occasionally contract with a design-build firm to perform both design and construction

  11. Root Causes for Construction Accidents1 • Inadequate construction planning • Lack of proper training • Deficient enforcement of training • Unsafe equipment • Unsafe methods or sequencing • Unsafe site conditions • Not using safety equipment that was provided 1 Toole, “Construction Site Safety Roles”, 2002

  12. Accidents Linked to Design1,2 • 22% of 226 injuries that occurred from 2000-2002 in Oregon, WA and CA • 42% of 224 fatalities in US between 1990-2003 • In Europe, a 1991 study concluded that 60% of fatal accidents resulted from decisions made before site work began 1 Behm, “Linking Construction Fatalities to the Design for Construction Safety Concept”, 2005 2 European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions

  13. Where Do Design Professionals Fit In? • Considering safety issues related to the permanent facility during the design stage • Designing out anticipated hazards

  14. Considering Safety During Design Offers the Most Payoff1 High ConceptualDesign Detailed Engineering Procurement Construction Ability to Influence Safety Start-up Low Project Schedule 1 Szymberski 1987

  15. What Types of Design Decisions? • IBC paragraph 704.11.1 requires that a parapet wall be at least 30 inches high • OSHA 1926 Subpart M requires a 36-42 inch guardrail or other fall protection • If the design professional specifies a 36-42 inch high parapet wall, fall protection would not be required

  16. Establish design for safety expectations • Include construction and operation perspective • Identify design for safety process and tools Design Kickoff Internal Review External Review Issue for Construction Design Trade contractor involvement • QA/QC • Cross-discipline review • Focused safety review • Owner review DfCS Process1 1 Gambatese

  17. DfCS Barriers • Like many good ideas, DfCS faces a number of barriers that will likely slow its adoption. • Potential solutions to these barriers involve long-term education and institutional changes.

  18. Barrier: Risk of Additional Designer Liability • Barrier: Designers’ concerns about additional undeserved liability for worker safety. • Potential solutions: • Clearly communicate we are NOT suggesting designers should be held responsible for construction accidents. • Develop revised model contract language to facilitate DfCS without inappropriately shifting liability onto designers.

  19. Barrier: Increased Designer Costs Associated with DfCS • Barrier: DfCS processes will increase both direct and overhead costs for designers. • Potential solution: • Educate owners that total project costs and total project life cycle costs will decrease

  20. Barrier: Designers' Lack of Safety Expertise • Barrier: Few design professionals possess sufficient expertise in construction safety. • Potential solutions: • Add safety to design professionals’ curricula. • Develop and promote 10-hour and 30-hour OSHA courses for design professionals.

  21. DfCS Examples: Prefabrication Concrete Wall Panels Concrete Segmented Bridge Steel stairs

  22. DfCS Examples: Anchorage Points

  23. DfCS Example: Residential Roofs

  24. DfCS Examples: Roofs Upper story windows and roof parapets Skylights

  25. DfCS Examples: Steel Design • Avoid hanging connections; design to bear on columns instead using safety seats • Require holes in columns for tie lines 21” and 42” above each floor slab • Specify shop welded connections instead of bolts or field welds to avoid dangerous positions during erection • Consider approximate dimensions of connection tools to prevent pinches or awkward assemblies National Institute of Steel Detailing and Steel Erectors Association of America. Detailing Guide for the Enhancement of Erection Safety. 2001

  26. Worker electrocuted when his drill rig got too close to overhead power lines. Design engineer specified groundwater monitoring wells were to be dug directly under power lines. Engineer could have specified wells be dug away from power lines and/or better informed the employer of hazard posed by wells’ proximity to powerlines through the plans, specifications, and bid documents. Example of the Need for DfCS

  27. Other DfCS Design Examples • Design underground utilities to be placed using trenchless technology1 • Specify primers, sealers and other coatings that do not emit noxious fumes or contain carcinogenic products2 • Design cable type lifeline system for storage towers3 1Weinstein, “Can Design Improve Construction Safety”, 2005 2 Gambatese, “Viability of Designing for Construction Worker Safety”, 2005 3Behm, “Linking Construction Fatalities to the Design for Construction Safety Concept”, 2005

  28. DfCS Practices Around the Globe • Designers first required to design for construction safety in the United Kingdom in 1995 • Other European nations have similar requirements • Australia also leading in DfCS http://www.ascc.gov.au/ascc/HealthSafety/SafeDesign/Understanding

  29. DfCS Success Spurs Collaboration • OSHA Alliance Roundtable Success has led to collaboration with NIOSH • NIOSH NORA Construction Sector Council DfCS Workgroup • NIOSH Prevention Through Design National Workshop in July 2007

  30. DfCS Resources • www.designforconstructionsafety.org • Construction Industry Institute database • www.construction-institute.org/scriptcontent/more/rr101_11_more.cfm • United Kingdom Health & Safety Executive designer guides • www.hse.gov.uk/construction/designers/index.htm • CHAIR • www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/Publications/OHS/SafetyGuides/chairsafetyindesigntool.htm

  31. 2 to 4 Hour Course for Design Professionals1 • To provide design and construction professionals with skills to identify construction safety hazards • To provide design and construction professionals with skills to eliminate or reduce the risk of a serious injury in the design phase 1www.designforconstructionsafety.org

  32. 2 to 4 Hour Course for Design Professionals1 • Safety Engineering-skills to recognize hazards and uncover “hidden” hazards • Design features to eliminate or reduce the risk of an injury due to a hazard • OSHA resources for DfCS 1www.designforconstructionsafety.org

  33. Summary • Designing for safety can improve safety and health on construction sites • Many countries require or promote designing for safety • National organizations are working to create tools, eliminate barriers and facilitate adoption of this important process in the United States

  34. Thanks for listening! • Questions? • Comments?

More Related