Construction remains the most hazardous industry in the United States in
terms of the aggregate number of fatalities. Twenty percent of all occupational
related fatalities occur in construction; approximately three construction workers die
per calendar day. Moreover, this trend has been prevalent for too long. One method
to reduce this trend is to involve architects and design engineers in considering
construction safety during the design process. The concept of designing for
construction safety is a viable intervention to improve worker safety. However, in
the United States many barriers (legal, contractual, regulatory) exist that prevent this
intervention from becoming part of a standard practice within the construction
industry. Four-hundred and fifty construction accidents from two databases were
analyzed and a link to the design for construction safety concept was determined.
An objective investigation model was developed to make these determinations. A
significant link between the concept of designing for construction safety and
construction fatalities and disabling injuries was established. Specific construction
project parameters linked to the concept of designing for construction safety include
the minimization of risk due to falls through and from roofs, skylights and structural
steel construction; and the minimization of risk due of contact with electric and other
utilities. It is recommended that the concept of designing for construction safety be
considered by regulatory agencies, insurance companies, and the United States'
construction industry as one intervention of a comprehensive safety agenda to reduce
the disproportionate number of fatalities and disabling injuries. / Graduation date: 2005
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/29437 |
| Date | 12 July 2004 |
| Creators | Behm, Michael |
| Contributors | Veltri, Anthony T. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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