Construction safety emphasis breaks new ground
Released: October 31, 2002
The construction industry employs about 6 percent of this country’s workforce, but accounts for almost 20 percent of all work-related fatalities in the nation. An inadequate supply of qualified construction safety professionals lies at the root of this problem. No programs exist within the state or region that are specifically designed to alleviate this shortage – until now. A construction safety emphasis at the undergraduate level has been implemented this fall at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater within the department of occupational and environmental safety and health.
Professor Andrew Kapp, who has led the effort in developing this emphasis, noted that the new program is receiving attention from the National Safety Council and the Construction Safety Council. Both are interested in the collaborative effort and the speed at which the program has been developed.
“Safety in the construction industry is stronger than ever,” said Kapp. “Ten years ago construction was not focused on training and hiring safety specialists. Now the industry is embracing safety because they know not only is it right for the employee, but also for their bottom line.”
An advisory board consisting of organized labor, construction industry and government regulatory personnel has been meeting regularly to help guide the development of this groundbreaking program. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) representative Pat Ostrenga believes the new emphasis will improve the caliber of the students entering the job force since many in the past have not had construction safety experience. Carl Theisen, safety manager at road construction company Payne and Daln in Waukesha, agrees that no other program fills this niche in Wisconsin.
“The hazards faced in the construction industry are way different than in other fields,” noted Theisen. “We look to hire graduates with base skills who can ‘speak the language’ of construction safety. This program delivers real world experience, not just academic exercises.”
As in other states, Wisconsin has seen its share of construction fatalities: on July 14, 1999, three steelworkers died when a large crawler crane called “Big Blue” collapsed during the construction of Miller Park. Tragically, those three prominent deaths represented less than 17 percent of the fatal construction injuries in the state that year and
less than half of a percent of all construction-related fatalities across the nation.
The construction safety emphasis consists of three courses culminating in a comprehensive examination and an internship in the construction field. Occupational safety majors choosing this emphasis will be educated in worksite hazard assessment, safety and health program development and risk management for construction operations.
A graduate-level construction safety certificate, designed for those already working in the construction field, has been highly praised as “innovative and effective” by the Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin (AGC). In a letter of appreciation to Kapp and the university, AGC stated that “the lack of formal programs has prevented safety professional and construction trade personnel from gaining an all-important knowledge base needed to ensure safety within our industry.” The AGC is committed to helping the occupational safety department continue to develop the program and has donated a full library of construction safety videos.
- Jane Provorse,provorsj@uww.edu
