Safety practices of large construction firms.

Abstract

This thesis describes a safety study that was conducted on the top 400 (largest in terms of revenue) construction firms of the United States. The objective of this study was to examine construction firm demographics, practices, and various safety policies and determine which variables influence safety performance. OSHA recordable injuries (those requiring medical treatment) per 200,000 hours of exposure was used as the measure of safety. Results show 26 variables, related to practices and policies, that directly influence the injury rates of large construction companies. Factors that are associated with good safety performance include: establishment of dedicated safety positions, employment substance abuse programs, and safety incentives. All practices found to significantly reduce injury rates are presented. The characteristics and practices found to be typical of large construction firms are also presented.