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

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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
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Overview

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

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OSHA Alliance Program

• Purpose of Alliance Roundtables
• Success of Construction Alliance Roundtable
• Fall Protection Workgroup
• Design for Safety (DfS) Workgroup

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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

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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

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Designing for Construction Safety (DfCS) What
is it?

• An extension of DfS to cover construction
  projects
• Recognizes construction site safety as a design
  criterion
• The process of addressing construction site
  safety and health in the design of a project

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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
• 1 Bureau of Labor Statistics-2005

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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

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Why Is DfCS Necessary?

• Currently there are no requirements for
  construction safety in building codes
• IBC Chapter 33 Safeguards During
  Construction-Pedestrian Safety

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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

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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

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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

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Where Do Design Professionals Fit In?

• Considering safety issues related to the
  permanent facility during the design stage
• Designing out anticipated hazards

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

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DfCS Process1
1 Gambatese
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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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DfCS Examples Prefabrication
Concrete Wall Panels
Concrete Segmented Bridge
Steel stairs
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DfCS Examples Anchorage Points
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DfCS Example Residential Roofs
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DfCS Examples Roofs
Upper story windows and roof parapets
Skylights
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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
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Example of the Need for DfCS

• 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.

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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
• 1 Weinstein, Can Design Improve Construction
  Safety, 2005
• 2 Gambatese, Viability of Designing for
  Construction Worker Safety, 2005
• 3 Behm, Linking Construction Fatalities to the
  Design for Construction Safety Concept, 2005

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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/SafeDesi
  gn/Understanding

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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

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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/SafetyGu
  ides/chairsafetyindesigntool.htm

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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

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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

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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

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Thanks for listening!

• Questions?
• Comments?