INTEGRATED FIELD AND DESIGN COURSEWORK

Integrated field and design coursework



Integrated field and design coursework

Introduction

It is no secret that the construction industry is responsible for a relatively high occupational injury rate. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2007), the construction industry, the largest single-service industry in the United States, consistently employs approximately five percent of the American workforce. Data assembled from the National Safety Council (NSC 2003) indicates that construction accounts for approximately twelve percent of the United States' occupational fatalities and consistently has the third highest fatality rate of all US industries. In fact, nearly 10 of every 100,000 workers are fatally injured while employed on a construction site. Figure 1.1 presents a graphical representation of the fatality data from 1952 to 2003. As one can clearly see, the construction industry accounts for a disproportionate fatality rate that is nearly three times higher than that of general industry.

Figure 1.1

Hinze et al. (2006) observed that construction safety has gained attention because of the increasing workers' compensation insurance premiums that have resulted from a great increase in medical costs and convalescent care. In 2004, the construction industry experienced 460,000 disabling injuries and the cost of these disabling injuries was estimated to be $15.64 billion (NSC 2006). The NSC also estimates that there were 1,194 fatalities in 1994, and the average cost of each of these fatalities (to the employer) was approximately $1,150,000. With just under 10.3 million individuals employed in the construction industry, the average total cost for disabling injuries and deaths can be calculated to be $1,656 per construction employee. Table 1.1 outlines the estimated cost of disabling injuries and deaths in the construction industry.

One may note a sudden spike in 1992. This sharp increase in disabling injury rate reflects a change in the data collection procedure adopted by the National Safety Council (NSC).

Table 1.1 - Costs associated with disabling injuries and fatalities in the construction industry (NSC 2006, as cited in Raj endran (2006)

Number in 2004

Cost per

Total cost

fatality/injury

Fatalities

1,194

$ 1,150,000

$ 1,373,100,000

Disabling injuries

460,000

$ 34,000

$ 15,640,000,000

Total Cost

$ 17,013,100,000

Construction workers

10,272,000

Total cost per employee

$ 1,656

The construction industry has a variety of unique features that distinguishes it from manufacturing, service, agriculture, and all other industries. Construction is commonly defined as the industry that is responsible for building or assembling infrastructure or buildings on a given site. ...