David Fox

900808093
4/24/2018

COVER MEMO

TO: DR FERRITER
FROM: DAVID FOX
SUBJECT: CONSTRUCTION SAFTEY
DATE: 4/24/18

Audience and purpose

My goal after I graduate college is to either start my own construction company, or to obtain a
management position for a construction company such as project manager or supervisor. With
that being said, my intended audience for this paper is anyone in the construction industry who is
responsible for their employees, and their company. Safety on the jobsite can be a problem for
the entire construction industry. Not only is it a problem for construction workers, but also
effects the contractors and the success of the construction companies.

General topic

The general topic I plan to do my assignment on is a problem that influences the construction
industry today and can also have an impact on construction in the future as well. In an article on
OSHA’s website it states, “Nearly 6.5 million people work at approximately 252,000
construction sites across the nation on any given day. The fatal injury rate for the construction
industry is higher than the national average in this category for all industries.” This is a major
reason that construction safety is so important. Safety on the jobsite can be a problem for the
entire construction industry. Not only is it a problem for construction workers, but also effects
the contractors and construction companies. These are some reasons why I chose to do my
assignment on this issue. In this assignment I plan to cover information on construction safety,
the effect that this issue has on the entire industry, as well as different solutions that could help
reduce the risks.
 The Importance of Construction Safety

Construction safety is a problem that has greatly affected the entire construction

industry. I am currently studying construction management at Georgia Southern University, and

my goal after I graduate is to either start my own construction company, or to obtain a

management position for a construction company such as project manager or supervisor.

Construction safety is a major problem that the industry has to deal with today and can affect

my career in the future as well. This is why the need for more solutions regarding the issue of

construction safety is so important and in such high demand. An article on OSHA’s website

states that “Nearly 6.5 million people work at approximately 252,000 construction sites across

the nation on any given day. The fatal injury rate for the construction industry is higher than the

national average in this category

for all industries” (OSHA,2005).

This means more deaths occur

on construction sites every year

than any other profession. This is

why construction safety is so

important, and why it is so

important to come up with ways

to prevent accidents and keep

people safe. Not only is safety on construction job sites a problem for construction workers, but

also effects the contractors and construction companies.

 In an article about construction safety, the company, E-sub construction software,

states that, “71% of respondents in a risk mitigation webinar stated they had experienced a

safety incident or injury in the last 12 months” (Clavero,2018). The company goes on to explain

how practices that are unsafe not only jeopardize the wellbeing of the employees, but can also

carry severe penalties. Contractors can reduce risk and ensure their employees follow the

safety procedures that are required. They do this by completing safety training meetings and by

implementing inspection checklists.

Construction Connect states in an article that, “The median time away from work after

suffering an injury or illness on the job in construction is ten days. Of the 82,760 accident

injuries involving days of work missed in 2016, 26,010 of them involved thirty-one days or more

away from work” (Jones 2018). This means that almost one out of every three construction

safety accidents that cause injuries will require the employee to take at least an entire month

away from work to recover. This large amount of time without work greatly impacts the victim

financially. It also causes a loss of

productivity for the construction company

that employs them. The company is affected

by these work injuries because they can

cause setbacks for the projects schedule.

They may also cause the companies to go

over budget in order to compensate for the

outcome. The article also explained that the

Figure 1picture-https://www.aproplan.com/blog/quality-management-
plan-construction/common-construction-problems-construction-
best solution to reduce the risks caused by management-software-can-solve
construction safety is implementing more safety training, and there is no such thing as too

much training. They state that, “Ongoing training is needed throughout a worker’s career to

emphasize the importance of safe working practices and to reinforce the lessons they’ve been

taught” (Jones 2018). If a construction company constantly practices safety lessons and

training, their employees will have the proper knowledge on how to avoid risks and will

constantly be reminded of that knowledge. Even employees that have been working in

construction for many years, and who know about safety procedures, can forget certain stuff or

even cut corners and ignore small things because they feel like they know what they are doing.

Constant training will help remind the veteran employees who think they know what they are

doing, as well as remind them just how important safety procedures are, ensuring that

everyone is doing their part to reduce safety risks on the job site.

Safety training and education will be successful if the employees can learn how to

identify the safety and health problems, how to analyze the causes of these problems, and how

to avoid the risks that these safety problems can cause. It is important that the training is clear

and accurate so that the employees understand the lesson and understand the importance of

their actions. If the employees understand the importance of the training, they will avoid safety

hazards and will contribute to a safer work place.

 Another way OSHA is involved in attempting to keep workers safe is by preforming

inspections periodically. They state that the “OSHA inspectors, called compliance safety and

health officers, are experienced, well-trained industrial hygienists and safety professionals

whose goal is to assure compliance with OSHA requirements and help employers and workers

reduce on-the-job hazards and prevent injuries, illnesses and deaths in the workplace” (OSHA

2016). The investigations can either be phone/fax investigations, or on-site investigations. Their

website explains how they can perform a phone/fax investigation for lower priority hazards.

When this happens, OSHA will speak with the employer on the phone and describe the details

of the safety and health concerns that are currently occurring. They will then follow up the

phone call by sending a fax to the employer that provides all the details on the alleged safety

and health hazards that are currently occurring. The employer then has five days to respond to

OSHA by identifying the issue and the actions they plan on taking to correct it. OSHA also

conducts on-site inspections. Their article states that “the compliance officer and the

representatives will walk through the portions of the workplace covered by the inspection,

inspecting for hazards that could lead to employee injury or illness” (OSHA 2016). During these

inspections the compliance officer must point out any safety violations to the representative,

then the hazards must be cited. After the inspection the compliance officer will discuss the

violations and hazards that they found with the employer and explain different possible actions

that the employer can take. If the violations or hazards are serious, then OSHA will issue

citations and fines that must be resolved within six months of the investigation. These methods

are some of the ways that OSHA can ensure that the construction companies are responsible

for the safety of their workers, as well as motivating them to take the proper safety procedures.
 Another idea to help with the issue of construction workers safety risks can include

things such as financial

punishments. OSHA can

penalize companies that

violate their safety

standards. These

penalties can cost

companies up to around

$13,000 per incident,

and can cost up to Figure 2https://www.bna.com/higher-osha-fines-n73014445244/

$130,000 if they violation is “willful or repeated”. On their website they state that “Any

employer who has received a citation for a serious violation of the requirements, shall be

assessed a civil penalty of up to $7,000 for each such violation.” (OSHA) They also explain how

“Any employer who fails to correct a violation for which a citation has been issued, may be

assessed a civil penalty of not more than $7,000 for each day during which such failure or

violation continues” (OSHA). They go on to explain that an employer who willfully violates any

standard, rule, or order can be fined up to $10,000 or even by imprisonment. Construction

companies want to avoid these financial punishments as much as they can, so they are

motivated to make sure their employees are properly trained and educated on the proper

safety procedures and want to make sure their employees are following the procedures

correctly.
 Construction safety is a very big issue in the construction industry and can cause major

problems for construction companies and their employees. Accidents on jobs sites can cause

injuries, which not only hurts the injured employee, but also hurts the entire company. These

accidents can also create major setbacks for the project. These are some of the many reasons

why construction safety is so important, and why new solutions that help prevent safety

accidents on construction work sites are so necessary. The most Important and beneficial

solution for construction safety is constant up to date training for the entire company. This

method of training will help ensure that everyone in the company knows the importance of

safety, and what the proper safety procedures are on the job site. OSHA also has a few ways of

making sure companies keep their employees safe while working on the job site. One of the

ways they do this is by conducting safety inspections and fining companies for safety violations

if necessary. These are some methods that help make sure that construction workers are safe

while working, and also help reduce the massive number of construction injuries/casualties that

the industry faces today. If construction companies and upper-level management use these

methods to their advantage, they will keep their companies safe and will be able to continue

working efficiently in order to continue making profits. Which essentially is the main goal of any

company.
 Works cited:

Clavero, J. (2018, March 15). Top Issues Facing the Construction Industry in 2018 - - Infographic!

Retrieved from https://esub.com/top-issues-facing-the-construction-industry-in-2018/

Department of Labor logoUNITED STATESDEPARTMENT OF LABOR. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/oshact/section_17

Jones, K. (2018, February 09). 4 Major Challenges Facing the Construction Industry. Retrieved

from https://www.constructconnect.com/blog/operating-insights/4-major-challenges-facing-the-

construction-industry/

OSHA Inspections[PDF]. (n.d.). OSHA.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3252/3252.html