Blueprint Magazine July 2012

A S S E
Atechnical publication of ASSEs Construction Practice Specialty
Blueprints
Volume 11 Number 3
PAGE10 SAFE SCHEDULING Learn to Identify Unsafe Practices PAGE14 BEAT THE HEAT Latest Cooling Devices for Workers PAGE16 AWARENESS TRAINING Improving Cultural Sensitivity
Maximum Carrying Capacity of Forklift to Given Lift Height

By Andy Shipp, P.E.
he load-carrying capacity of a forklift is indicated on the capacity data plate or name plate and should be found affixed to the forklift in a prominent location in view of the operator. This data plate will indicate the maximum lifting capacity of the machine to the full extension height of the mast and a specified load center for a given configuration. If the forklift configuration or the load characteristics have changed since the data plate was
Lift height or maximum fork height has a significant effect on a forklifts load-carrying capacity.
PAGE24 FALL PROTECTION A Contractors Perspective on Ladder Safety
issued, if the plate is unreadable or if there are special new load-handling conditions, a capacity plate should be changed or added to reflect the relevant forklift, attachment and load conditions. This is extremely important because a warehouse manager and a trained forklift operator will first look to this data plate and will rely on this information for the maximum load that can be safely handled with the machine. continued on page 4
For a complete Table of Contents, see page 3
1 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012
administrators MESSAGE
Blueprints
Construction Practice Specialty
ow, it is true that fewer people get hurt at work than ever before in modern history, some are getting trained, many people care and nonprofit organizations, such as ASSE, and the one I now manage share best practices. But is it enough to really make a difference? Perhaps it is like the woman walking down the beach tossing starfish back into the ocean. Her friend says, There are thousands of starfish along the beachyou cannot hope to make an impact. The woman responds, Made a difference to that one and I will make a difference to this one next. Collectively we can make a difference! Think of it this way: ASSE has 34,000+ members. If each member gave one hour a week to the profession through the Society, that is 34,000+ man hours per week. Over a year, that relates to approximately 1.77 million man hours! If we assume an hourly rate of $50/hour, that implies a value of approximately $88 million of labor per year. Think of that for a momentone hour a week from each Society member relates to $88 million in value over a years Michael W. Hayslip, time. Not to mention the nonmembers we impact. Want to make a difference? Dedicate an hour a week to P.E., CSP your profession through ASSE. No, we cannot change the world, but yes, we can make a difference. I encourage you to work closely with your practice specialty and to buy into the Body of Knowledge project by contributing or to simply find what ASSE activity is important to you. To compliance and beyond. x
What If?
Officers
Administrator Michael W. Hayslip (937) 434-8951

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Assistant Administrator Neil Webster (978) 664-9500

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Publication Coordinator Eric Voight (856) 552-4756
evoight@jamontgomery.com
Resource Snapshot
CPS Information Body of Knowledge International Resource Guide Journal of SH&E Research Networking Opportunities Professional Safety Publication Opportunities Volunteer Opportunities
ASSESTAFF
Staff Liaison Krista Sonneson (847) 768-3436
ksonneson@asse.org
Communications Specialist Jolinda Cappello
What if no one got hurt at work? What if people actively cared? What if workers were better trained? What if we collectively could do more? What if information on best practices was free-flowing and used?
jcappello@asse.org
Publication Design Julia Brenner

jbrenner@asse.org
Blueprints is a publication of ASSEs Construction Practice Specialty, 1800 East Oakton St., Des Plaines, IL60018, and is distributed free of charge to members of the Construction Practice Specialty. The opinions expressed in articles herein are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of ASSE. Technical accuracy is the responsibility of the author(s). Send address changes to the address above; fax to (847) 768-3434; or send via e-mail to customerservice@asse.org.
C O N T E N T S
Volume 11 Number 3
Forklift
PAGE
1 Maximum Carrying Capacity of

to
Given Lift Height

D
An interview with John Salley and Robert Cote on the Build Safe Chicago initiative.
By Andy Shipp Every forklift has a legible capacity plate that accurately reflects the attachment configuration used at the correct load center for the load lifted.
PAGE
Build Safe Chicago
PAGE
10 Impact
of Scheduling on Construction Safety

practices
By Stella Amuwha In construction, it is imperative to identify inefficient arising from scheduling-related decisions.
PAGE
16
Awareness Training Program for Residential Construction Supervisors

PAGE
14 Latest Technology
Beat
the
Heat
to
By Luz Stella Marin & Maria Brunette Construction supervisors need to improve their cultural sensitivity to motivate and influence their work groups to reach organizational goals.
By Kurt Sielaff Personal cooling devices for constructions workers can reduce the hazards associated with heat stress and can increase productivity.
PAGE
24 Fall Protection From

By Brad Spelbring Ladder safety tips for electricians.
a Contractors Perspective
PAGE
26 A10.8 Update
An update on the revised standard, Scaffolding Safety Requirements (ANSI/ASSE A10.8-2011).
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Maximum Carrying Capacity of Forklift to Given Lift Height continued from page 1 capacity, consider for example that a particular forklift with only forks on the carriage is rated at 5,000 lb capacity at 24-in. load center on the data plate. This forklift will only be rated at 1,270 lb when equipped with a particular 8 ft.-long fork-mounted jib boom because the boom adds weight and moves the load center out to 96 in. In this case, the forklift may employ a dual load center capacity rating on the capacity plate indicating a greater lifting capacity (2,750 lb) at a 4-ft. load center and a lower capacity (1,270 lb) at the 8-ft. load center. Small changes in load center can also greatly affect the carrying capacity. Consider the capacity of the same 5,000-lb forklift with 48-in. forks and rated at a 24-in. load center as it drops to 3,660 lb when 72-in. fork extensions are employed to lift a 6-ft. long load. The main thing to consider is that every forklift has a legible capacity plate that accurately reflects the attachment configuration used at the correct load center for the load lifted. Contact a professional forklift engineering service to check your lift capacity and to get a P.E.certified capacity rating plate on your forklift. x
A multitude of factors affect a forklifts lifting capacity, and these parameters, which are indicated on the capacity data plate, include: 1) make or manufacturer; 2) model; 3) power source; 4) battery weight (for electrics); 5) tire type; 6) tire size; 7) mast lift height; 8) mast carriage type; 9) attachment(s) type; 10) attachment(s) model; 11) load center of gravity (CG or LC). If any of these parameters are changed, particularly the attachments on the forklift carriage or the load center, the capacity plate should be checked for accuracy to ensure safe load handling. Andy Shipp, P.E., is president of Professional Forklift A forklift attachment includes anything that is Engineering Services in Mt. Pleasant, SC. attached to the front carriage of a forklift or is attached to an attachment on the forklift. A typical forklift attachment configuration might include a hang-on side shifter and two forks. In this case, if the forks are removed and longer forks are added, the machines capacity could be drastically reduced. Or if the forklift is used to pick up a fork-mounted attachment, such as a drum handler or fork extensions, then a capacity data plate must be changed or added to reflect the new configuration. OSHA safety regulations state that a forklift must have a legible capacity plate to reflect any attachment used on the lift. Lift height or maximum fork height has a significant effect on a forklifts load-carrying capacity, and forklifts with high masts will have a greater carrying capacity at lower lift heights than at the maximum lift height. For this reason, forklifts with very high masts may have a dual capacity rating on the data plate; a maximum capacnew OSHA PowerPoint presentation shows ity up to a mid-level lift height and a lower-capacity ratthe heavy financial cost resulting from falls ing at the maximum lift height. This allows the forklift in construction. OSHA analyzed workers comoperator to work with heavier loads at low heights, i.e., pensation data for injuries resulting from falls loading and unloading trucks, cross-docking, etc., while from elevations suffered by roofers and carusing the same forklift to put away lighter loads to high penters. The data, which cover 2005-07, come storage locations. from 38 states, which comprise approximately Because a forklift is using leverage to lift a load, any 1/3 of total workers compensation benefits. condition that adds weight to the front of the forklift OSHAs analysis of fall injuries for roofers and causes the load center (LC or CG) of the load to and carpenters found that falls from elevations be moved further away from the forklift will contribute by roofers cost an average of approximately to a reduction in the residual carrying capacity of the $106,000 each; falls from elevations by carpenmachine. Attachments can cause these reductions, as ters cost an average of over $97,000 each. For well as the dimensions of the load and the load-handling more information, view the PowerPoint preconditions. Load center typically refers to the horizontal sentation of Workers Compensation Costs of distance to the load CG and is typically half the length Falls in Construction. x of the load for symmetrical objects. To illustrate how attachments and load CGs can affect residual carrying
OSHA Analyzes the Costs of Falls in Construction
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e want to thank everyone who has remained a loyal member of the Construction Practice Specialty (CPS) W and welcome the following members who recently joined. We are currently at 3,785 members and growing. If you have any colleagues who might be interested in joining CPS, please contact Krista Sonneson to request an information packet. If you know anyone who might be interested in joining ASSE, please contact customer service. Mark Calub, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. Samuel Campbell, Dynedy Independent Station R. Scott Cidlik, Laclede Gas Co. Larren Clemons, Battelle Energy Alliance Matthew Comi, Lord Corp. Ferron Cox, W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Steven Cox, PCL Construction Services Inc. Jeremy Davenport, Sellenriek Construction L.V. Davis, Transcanada Meg De Werth, Continental Building Systems Don Dennis, Kimray Inc. Nick DiMartino, NAES Power Contractors Paula Duffield, Ameren Thomas Egstad, 115 Fighter Wing Wisconsin Air National Guard Paula Eick, Adolfson & Peterson Construction Michael Flewelling, LTM Inc. Marla Foster, Alexis Risk Management Services Donald Fowler, Sentry Roofing Inc. Douglas Frakes, Fluor Corp. Jayson Adra, Shaybah NGL Projects Dept. Hart Alali, Aniesco Oil & Gas Ltd Walter Anderson, Cameco Richard Andrews, Zurich Services Corp. Benjamin Avila, CF Jordan Construction Justin Azbill, Kiewit Power John Bannen, Severn Trent Services Dave Barber, Petersen-Dean Inc. & Affiliates Scott Beauchesne, Collier County Government Frank Beck, NC Dept. of Transportation Anthony Bell, Danisco International Heather Belovin, NYC Dept. of Environmental Protection Joe Benevides, Hawaii Employers Mutual Ins. Co. Natalie Berger, Dynegy Midwest Generation Michael Bielawa, Bovis Lend Lease Nathan Brenneman, American Infrastructure Dane Brewer, Andersen Construction Co. Rickey Bridges, Owens Corning Walter Burdette, Fortier Loss Control
Grace Gandarilla, C.F. Jordan Construction Donald Garvey, 3M Jeffrey Gaulden, Ryan Incorporated Central Troy Gear, Pacificorp Dave Johnston Power Plant Craig Gentry, Craig Gentry & Associates Juliette Goyhenetche, Manson Construction William Gregerson, CRB Builders Christopher Griego, Sturgeon Electric Co. Inc. Bruce Groves, Emilcott Associates Inc. Thomas Grube, PPL Generation Srinidhi Gundappa, CRC Associates Inc. Jeff Hammond, XCEL Energy Hayden Station Kenneth Haynes, Huber Engineered Woods LLC Joseph Hein, Pitlik & Wick Inc. Bruce Henderson, HazTek Inc. James Hennelly, Dominion Energy Timothy Henning, T.E. Ibberson Co. Kathy Hilaski, Clark Construction Richard Holmes, Eldor Contracting Corp. Gail House, Walt Disney World Scott Huber, Yates Construction Craig Irwin, Greiner Industries Inc. Harshawardhan Jagam, Larsen & Toubro Oman LLC Trevor Johnson, Systemera Inc. Joel Johnson, Industrial Valve Service Marty Jones, Indiana Statewide Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives Benjamin Juarez, Permasteelisa William Karis, Technico Construction Services Dederick Kelly, Kiewit Power Constructors Leonard Kessner, Harmon Electric Inc. Farheen Khan, Exponent Inc. Ho Min Kim, Samsung Engineering Co. Ltd Cindy Kyle, Collins Electrical Co. Inc. Hank Leach, Praxair Luke Lightner, Balfour Beatty Construction Jeffrey Lohf, Williams Electric Co. Inc. Marc Long, Hunt Construction Group Roberto Lopez, Odebrecht Bruce Lushbough, NRG Energy Nathan Lutz, Designer Built Systems Inc. Robert Markos, Shaw Stone Webster Jeffrey Marksberry, Hubbard & Drake General Mechanical Angella McAnelly, Baker Electric Barry McCarty, Ledcor Construction Derrick McKinney, Dept. of Veteran Affairs Richard McLaughlin, Marco David McMichen, URS Corp. Nicole McOmie, JH Kelly Martin Medina, STP Nuclear Operating Co. Rob Medlock, Safety Controls Technology Douglas Meeks, Dig-TESS Robert Meister, John Austin Chase & Assoc.
Raymond Micallaf, Hydro One Networks Inc. Deane Mills, IAP Worldwide Services James Moore, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. Charles Mulvaney, EnGlobal Kevin Murphy, BP America Inc., Remediation Management Robert Narvaez, ABB Bryan ODea, Welch & Rushe Inc. Cathy OKeefe, Electrolab Training Systems Arn Parker, Exelon Wind John Patton, Grote Enterprises William Paul, Haztek Inc. Mark Paulson, Avnet Nikolas Pecci, NPecci Timothy Petrin, Power Engineering Construction Co. Terry Phillips, Allied Construction Industries Craig Price, Southern Safety Shield Inc. Porter Prince, MWBC Khaled Ramzy, Engineering Consultants Group James Raschke, Williams Gas Pipeline Gary Ray, Bert L. Howe & Assoc. Inc. Jeff Regnier, Samsung Austin Semiconductor Randy Roberts, Cousins Waste Control Corp. Brian Roundtree, Haskell Co. Mark Rupe, Precon Marine Inc. Bryan Sabari, Pugent Sound Energy Robert Salata, Pinner Construction Lee Sanchez, Onyx Contractors Paul Scamaldo, Bernards Builders Jason Schwartzhoff, Midamerican Energy J.E. Selvey, WorleyParsons Kelly Sexauer, ADP Shelley Shortes, Shaw Group Barbara Siler, North American Substation Services Peter Simon, Total Safety Consulting Donald Stanfield, Liberty Mutual Insurance Frank Subzda, U.S. Safety Matt Thompson, Safety Engineering & Health Services David Tonkery, Metso T. Michael Toole, Bucknell University Fernando Vargas, SFI Compliance Alejandro Villamor, Commercial Affair Group William Walker, Southern Piping Co. J. Norman Watkins, Meadow Valley Corp. Scott Weichler, Exelon PBAPS Martin Wesley, Cargill Salt Kelly Wildoner, Fahs Construction Group Donald Wiltshire, Greenwood Inc. Charles Winans, J.E. Dunn Construction Co. Stephen Yates, Optimum Safety Management John Yoder, Atlantic Plant Maintenance
INTERVIEW
Build Safe Chicago

Improving Occupational Safety
in BP: Please provide a brief description of your professional backgrounds and of your roles with the Build Safe Chicago initiative. JS/RC: The Build Safe Chicago group is comprised of safety professionals, project managers and project superintendents. Our roles as individuals have been and will continue to be to attend all John Salley monthly group meetings so that consensus could and can be reached on all elements/ topics that have been included and agreed to in the Build Safe Chicago Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Each person is required to attend the meetings as Rob Cote necessary and to discuss the proposed initiatives with their own companys leadership so buy-in/approval is reached.
Construction
John Salley is a project executive with Bovis Lend Lease, Inc. in Chicago, IL, and Robert Cote, CSP, is senior regional safety manager for Gilbane Building Company, also in Chicago. In this interview, Salley and Cote provide background on the Build Safe Chicago initiative and discuss how it is expected to improve occupational safety and health for construction workers in the Chicagoland area.
BP: What is Build Safe Chicago, and why was it formed? JS/RC: Build Safe Chicago is a group representing seven of Chicagos leading construction companies. It was established approximately three and a half years ago in an effort to consistently and uniformly raise the level of health and safety for construction workers in the Chicagoland area. BP: What companies belong to the Build Safe Chicago coalition, and what must they agree to do to remain part of the coalition? JS/RC: The companies that currently make up the Build Safe Chicago group are: Gilbane Building Company Kenny Construction Lend Lease James McHugh Construction Mortenson Construction Power Construction Turner Construction Company Each member agrees to implement and adhere to all aspects and initiatives detailed in the Build Safe Chicago MOU. BP: What areas of construction occupational safety and health does Build Safe Chicago primarily address? JS/RC: Build Safe Chicago will address: PPE CPR Fall protection Hole and shaft protection Electrical safety Public interface isolation and protection Emergency action plans Worksite hygiene facilities Disciplinary policy Drug, alcohol and smoking prohibition Safety prequalification of subcontractors Third-party equipment inspections Crane operator training and certification Worker orientation BP: How were the Build Safe Chicago Safety and Health Standards compiled, and do they include any national voluntary consensus standards? JS/RC: The topics contained in the MOU were identified as the main issues, which historically have had the potential to cause worker injury, or included initiatives necessary to address so that worker safety overall would improve and benefit. The team met consistently over a three-year period to develop and gain consensus on improving a variety of what were agreed to be the most important health and safety topics affecting the industry. The resulting effect is anticipated to improve the overall level of safety for workers thereby establishing a higher benchmark across the Chicago construction community. Given that seven of the major construction management and general contracting firms are now fully engaged partners in the venture, a new, higher and improved level of consistent expec-
tations regarding health and safety has been placed into operation on all partner sites. By consistently employing the applications across all sites, the potential for worker confusion regarding health and safety expectations from one site to another is thereby eliminated. BP: How have construction workers responded to Build Safe Chicago thus far? Has the coalition seen a decrease in incidents and/or injuries? JS/RC: Advertising and publicizing the initiative is somewhat in its infancy. The group will be better able to answer this question in the future. BP: What are Build Safe Chicagos goals for the year? JS/RC: Our goals moving forward are to determine the most effective means by which to advertise and publicize Build Safe Chicago (speaking at trade shows, meeting with industry groups, etc.), continually identify new and innovative approaches to improving worker safety and garner support and engagement from other construction companies who are not currently participating. BP: How can interested construction firms join the Build Safe Chicago coalition?
The greatest success is the establishment of a group essentially representing the Chicago construction industry who were prepared to set aside competition and to work together all in the name of health and safety.
Many Build Safe initiatives have been established over the course of several years and although recognized as honorable ventures, they have not necessarily developed as specific a set of tenets as that set forth by the Build Safe Chicago team. The topics addressed within the Build Safe Chicago MOU detail specific, tangible and measureable applications, which once adhered to will undoubtedly improve the current level of health and safety applied across all participating firms project sites. BP: What do you consider to be Build Safe Chicagos greatest successes since its launch?
JS/RC: The greatest success to date is the establishment of a group JS/RC: Interested construction essentially representing the Chicago firms may contact any of the parconstruction industry who were preticipating members, but for ease pared to set aside competition and of reference, they can contact us at to work together all in the name of rcote@gilbaneco.com or john.salley@ health and safety. x lendlease.com. BP: What advice do you have for other major cities that would like to institute a Build Safe program? JS/RC: The best advice we could offer would be to make their programs detailed, specific and meaningful and to hold all participants accountable.
John Salley is a project executive with Bovis Lend Lease Inc. in Chicago, IL. He may be reached at john.salley@ bovislendlease.com or (312) 245-1402.
Robert Cote, CSP, is senior regional safety manager for Gilbane Building Company in Chicago, IL. He may be reached at rcote@gilbaneco.com or (773) 695-3500.
site management
By Stella Amuwha
Impact of Scheduling on Construction Safety

riginshaw (2007) wrote in Airport Rail Links that Heathrow Airports massive new terminal and its associated rail rinks construction project costing approximately $6.9 billion was on schedule with 90% of work completed. Effective planning is one of the most important aspects of a construction project, and it also influences the projects success. Efficient scheduling during the projects planning stage helps contracSchedule pressure tors avoid expensive project delays, manage resources effectively, anticican increase pro- pate problems and contain costs (Hill, Heesom and Mahdjoubi (2004) ductivity, but if 2004). state that a schedule shows temporal the pressure is too information that defines a construcprojects duration. Once a project much, safety could tion gets behind schedule, there is a tenbe compromised dency to increase production through the use of overtime or aggressive and this can be scheduling to get the project to finish time. As a result, safety and quality detrimental to the on may be compromised and may cause work carried out. significant losses to a company, client and the industry as a whole. Hence, it is imperative to identify inefficient practices arising from scheduling-related decisions and to address them properly during the prejob/pretask planning stage and/or to include them in the bid. The first case identified in this article is an example of Barriere Construction, which submitted a bid for and was awarded a $24.5 million contract with an aggressive completion schedule estimate of 210 days. Barriere started the construction work on the I-10 highway in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina. It was aware it needed to submit an aggressive schedule to win the bid because of the importance of the interstate highway, coordinating with other major projects that were also taking place at the same time and finishing the project ahead of another hurricane season. This project was a success because the general contractor planned for the human resource and the needed equipment. This was also true with the massive Heathrow Airport project, which involved extensive work on its terminals.
New Orleans Barriere Construction maintains aggressive project schedule to finish $24 million paving project 70 days ahead of contracted completion date (Udelhofen, 2006).
Depending on the projects scope, it is advisable that experienced planners having the knowledge or ability to effectively plan construction project activities handle the schedule. Such personnel entrusted with this task should have adequate time for it. The scheduling can be done by the general contractor or the construction manager (Hill, 2004). The scheduling should show specific information on start and end dates for the project and should also include task-specific information. The preferred schedule should be a short-interval scheduling consisting of taskspecific information on day-to-day activities, usually 4 weeks as opposed to a project or master schedule that defines the schedule over a long period of time. See Table 1 for an example.
Table 1 Short-Interval Schedule & Project/Master Schedule
Four factors that can affect scheduling decisions are overtime, adding resources, aggressive scheduling and schedule slippage. Park, et al. (2010) argue that the effect of overtime on scheduling can be both positive and negative. They acknowledged that one of the most common steps site managers need to take to address schedule shortage was overtime. Their research revealed that occasional use of overtime for emergency measures to address immediate problems had a positive effect on productivity but can have an adverse effect if the overtime is scheduled for a prolonged period. The reasons for these are overtimeinduced fatigue, increased error rate and decreased productivity. According to Park, et al. (2010), the second factor that can have an impact on schedule delay is increasing the amount of work by adding more resources. This process will help eliminate downtime. Contractors need to plan on providing sufficient resources, such as materi-
als, equipment and information, in a timely manner to workers. Adding resources to the project could create safety issues if not monitored effectively. Therefore, it is recommended that this factor be addressed during the scheduling planning stage. Plans should be made to include the number of safety professionals and supervisors that would be needed on site. Aggressive scheduling is implemented if a deadline is to be met. Appropriate schedule pressure can increase productivity, but if the pressure is too much, safety could be compromised and this can be detrimental to the work carried out (Park, et al., 2010). Schedule slippage is allowable in certain circumstances. Site or construction managers may decide to let a schedule slip for two reasons: 1) if there are difficulties regarding the availability of resources and overtime work activities and 2) if managers anticipate covering up the schedule later as a result of resource allocation (Park et al). From the results of the research, site managers would generally not allow a project to slip, as this could result in the project being delayed and in effect result in high costs to the party involved in the project. Several commercial project scheduling software packages are available for use in the construction industry. The traditional and easy-to-use scheduling methods are the use of bar charts, critical path method (CPM), and the program evaluation and review technique (Liu &Wang, 2012).
The easiest and most widely used form of schedule analysis and development in construction management is the use of bar charts (Yang, 2007). A typical bar chart lists the activities from the start, duration and finish with a bar plotted to a time scale. CPM is also widely used and may be the first choice for project managers. Based on the determined duration of activity, CPM can easily identify the critical path (such as path of construction, scheduling threats and issues or concerns that could arise during the development of the schedule), total project duration and early and late times (start and finish dates) of individual activities. However, all of these techniques have proven to have some pitfalls in using them in practice (Iyh-Bin, 2007). Some emerging or latest technologies used include: Critical chain scheduling, which is developed to make schedule planning and control more effective than the traditional CPM. Line of balance, which is a planning technique used for repetitive work. The technique applied is used to find the required resources for each stage of operation so that there is no interference and the goal or objective can be achieved. Q-scheduling is a fairly new technique that reveals a relationship between the sequence of doing a job and the cost that can be incurred. This technique is similar to the line balance but with some modifications, which allow
Plans should be made to include the number of safety professionals and supervisors that would be needed on site.
for varying the volume of repetitive activities at different locations of the construction project. According to Heesom and Mahdjoubi (2004), 4D CAD applications are becoming more accessible and their use allows the construction planner to produce more rigorous schedules. 4D simulations have a positive impact on both the preconstruction and construction phases. They can assist planners in producing improved planned projects while at the same time allowing them to see how their plan will evolve. The technology can enable planners to predict potential problems at the construction stage, which could result in substantial costs and time implications. Heesom and Mahdjoubi (2004) acknowledged that there were direct savings and an increase in productivity where 4D CAD technology had been adopted. They proposed that the simulations can allow considerable savings to be made on construction projects by helping identify problems prior to construction and to avoid rework during the project. Since 4D CAD applications are a relatively new technology, Heesom and Mahjoubi (2004) argue that further research was needed into improved detail differentiation for graphical representation, improved use of data exchange standards and more automated techniques to link the construction tasks to 3D models. Productivity, quality and safety need not be sacrificed in a quest to meet deadlines. Therefore, it is imperative that careful consideration be given to the overall aspect of having an effective schedule for the construction project. Also, the impact of aggressive scheduling, overtime, resource-adding and schedule slippage should be considered during the projects planning phase to ensure a smooth workflow, increased labor productivity and a safer work outcome. x References Briginshaw, D. (2007, Apr.). Rails arrive at Heathrows massive new terminal. International Railway Journal, 47(4), 35. Retrieved from http://search.proquest .com.huaryu.kl.oakland.edu/abicomplete/docprint. Heesom, D. & Mahdjoubi, L. (2004). Trends of 4D CAD applications for construction planning. Construction Management and Economics, 22, 171-182. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.huaryu.kl .oakland.edu. Hill, D.C. (2004). Construction safety management and engineering. Des Plaines, IL: ASSE. Liu, S. & Wang, C. (2012). Optimizing linear project scheduling with multiskilled crews. Automation in Construction, 24, 16-23. Retrieved from http://www.journals.elsevier.com/automation-in -construction/#description. Park, M., Kim, W. & Yoon, Y. (2010). Scheduling decisions and their dynamic consequences on construction performances. KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 14(3), 251-259. Retrieved from http://www.springer .com.
Udelhofen, G. (2006). Scheduling key to successful I-10 completion. Asphalt Contractor, 12(16), 18-20. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.huaryu.kl .oakland.edu. Yang, I. (2007). How the critical chain scheduling method is working for construction. Cost Engineering, 49(4), 25.
Stella Amuwha is currently pursuing a B.S. in Occupational Safety and Health at Oakland University in Rochester Hills, MI.
atal work injuries involving workers in transportation and material moving occupations were 5% higher in 2010 and accounted for about one quarter of all occupational fatalities. Driver/sales workers and truck drivers, the subgroup with the highest number of fatal work injuries within the transportation and material moving group, led the increase. Fatalities in this subgroup rose from 647 in 2009 to 683 in 2010, an increase of 6%. The number of fatal work injuries in the private industry construction sector declined by 10% in 2010. Fatal work injuries in construction have declined every year since 2006 and are down nearly 40% over that time. Economic conditions may explain much of this decline with total hours worked having declined another 6% in construction in 2010, after declines in both 2008 and 2009. Even with the lower fatal injury total, construction accounted for more fatal injuries than any other industry in 2010. Fatal work injuries among Hispanic or Latino workers were down 4% in 2010 to the lowest level since 1997. Of the 682 fatal work injuries involving Hispanic or Latino workers, 427 (or 635) involved foreign-born workers. Overall, 774 fatal work injuries involving foreign-born workers occurred in 2010, of which the greatest share (297 or 38%) were born in Mexico. x
Industry Fatalities Update
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Protective equipment
By Kurt D. Sielaff
Latest Technology to
echnological breakthroughs have begun to open unimaginable doors to personal cooling devices for constructions workers. These devices can provide more than a little piece of heaven on a hot summers day; they can reduce the hazards associated with heat stress, increase productivity and over time even pay for themselves. Imagine a bright sunny sky, not a cloud in the distance, it is 7:00 am and 92 F on any given summer morning. The temp is rising and rising quickly. You think back to the previous weekend and Not only does the risk relaxing at waters edge and how perfect would be if you were there again; of heat-related today but today you are at work, donned in injuries increase, but the latest cut-resistant clothing, safety and hardhat. As the temperature the amount of boots rises, you struggle to keep the sting of overhead cost from sweat from dripping in your eyes. For step you take forward, it takes two the time to pace and each swipes of a shirt across your forehead. A take very necessary foreman reminds you to stay hydrated, you take another swig from your breaks also increases. so water bottle then pull your hardhat away to pour the remaining on your head and neck. You wonder, isnt there anything to relieve the heat? With a purchase price that equates to about a penny per hour, the first item can reduce the temperature inside safety hats and on top of the head by more than 20 F. Some companies have started incorporating a fan in their customdesigned hardhats. The author has seen these in Type I Class G and E hardhats. This design will reduce temps while still meeting the ANSI/ ISEA Z89.1 standard. The power source comes from a set of rechargeable batteries that
Beat the Heat
can power the fans for up to 10 hours. Also available is an intrinsically safe model for those worksites with hazardous atmospheres and special policies restricting the use of electronic devices. Next is a product that not only can reduce temperatures, but also increase visibility. Some vendors offer safety eyewear with built in micro fans that blow heat and humidity away from the lens and maintain fogfree visibility. Recently, the author heard a story about a worker who was fired due to failure to adhere to a customers safety policy. The investigation revealed this was a dedicated tradesman with a spot-free record who was working in hot conditions. He was fatigued and victim to his own frustration when he violated the customers safety policy by removing his safety glasses to clear the fog on them. Perhaps his employer would have given him a warning, but as he removed his glasses, the customers safety officer walked by his area on a routine inspection and saw the violation firsthand. Although he failed to follow the customers safety policy, imagine the potential hazards of continuing to work with limited visibility. This new eyewear with integrated fans can eliminate workers urge or necessity to expose their eyes to hazards from removing their eyewear to wipe the fog from a lens. It also does this with the ability to meet multiple regulatory standards, including U.S. standard MIL-DTL-43511D, ANSI Z87.1-2003 and EN166. Products are also available to cool a workers core. Heatshields and vests use the latest research and development breakthroughs to create vests that can stay significantly cool in 100 temperatures for up to 3.5 hours. Simply store the vest in a freezer or use the freezable inserts to stay cool in hot situations. Some of these vests use integrated pumps and tubing systems to circulate ice-cold fluids from an auxiliary container to and from the vest. This design appears to come in a myriad of container-vest packages ranging from small handheld containers to mid-size backpacks. Conceivably, a user could achieve continuous use by simply taking a break about every 4 hours to refill the
Kurt D. Sielaff is an SH&E student at Oakland University in Auburn Hills, MI. He has interned with Commercial Contracting Corp. in Auburn Hills.
container at a nearby site trailer or other preplanned area, which is a perfect application for many southern climate workers, and even northern regions where temperatures can be in excess of 100 F. Workers at Marathon Petroleum Companys Detroit heavy oil upgrade project are regularly exposed to those hot summer-like conditions as the project site itself, along with heavy PPE, exposes them to addition all heat and a strong potential for heat stress or exhaustion. Not only does the risk of heatrelated injuries increase, but the amount of overhead cost from the time to pace and take very necessary breaks also increases. With the use of these newly designed cooling vests, an employer can be proactive and protect its workers from such heatrelated stress as well as realize cost savings from fewer breaks. Over time, this equipment and its benefits pay for itself. Summer is just around the corner, so ask yourself and your workers, are you prepared for the heat? x
Reinforced Concrete in Construction
on how to prevent injuries and deaths from reinforcing concrete activities in construction and from vehicles and mob Beat the Heat ile equipment backing into workers in construction, general industry, agriculture and the maritime industry. OSHA will use the comments received to learn more about how workers get injured and what solutions exist to prevent injury and death, including possible regulatory action. Workers in the concrete industry use reinforcing methods to strengthen concrete. These workers face potentially life-threatening hazards including impalement, collapsed walls and slips, trips and falls. OSHA data indicate that more than 30 workers died while performing these activities from 200009. Safety issues relating to these operations were brought to OSHAs attention in a 2010 petition from the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental & Reinforcing Iron Workers and an industry coalition of stakeholders, including the Concrete Steel Reinforcing Institute, the Western Steel Council and the Center for Construction Research and Training. x
SHA has issued a request for information (RFI) that seeks comments
training
By Luz Stella Marin & Maria Brunette, Ph.D.
Awareness Training Program for Residential Construction Supervisors

upervisors play an important role within the construction site due to their role as a liaison between the companys interests and the workers needs (Flin & Yule, 2004; Dingsdag, et al., 2008; Jaselskis, et al., 2008; Sawacha, et al., 1999). Currently, construction supervisors are faced with a multicultural employee population. They need to improve their cultural sensitivity to motivate and influence their work groups to reach organizational goals (Menzel & Gutierrez, 2009). Supervisors must be committed to safety, encourage workers open communication and engage them in safe Hispanic con- behaviors (Gillen, et al., 2002; Burt, et al., 2008). Hence, supervisors need struction workers to be effective leaders in the workface significantly place because their leadership style affects organization performance. higher risks in Supervisors leadership style may a significant influence on their the workplace have subordinates behaviors and attitudes than non-Hispanic (Michael, et al., 2006) as well as the safety and health conditions at the construction workplace (Gillen, et al., 2002; Flin workers. & Yule, 2004). In addition, lack of effective communication, inability to resolve conflict or to interpret nonverbal signals between supervisors and team members, among others, might be inadequate for the purposes of effective safety and health communication (ODriscoll & Beehr, 1994; OConnor, et al., 2005; Trajkovski & Loosemore, 2006). It is well-known that on construction sites, supervisors are the most noticeable leaders with enough authority and power to influence workers behaviors (Dingsdag, et al., 2008). The objective of this study was to design a training program for residential construction supervisors to improve social dynamics at the workplace through 1) adopting leadership skills regarding communication and ability to motivate others to work with Hispanic and non-Hispanic work crews and 2) interacting and communicating appropriately with multicultural workers. This article focuses on the design of cultural and linguistically appropriate training modules for Hispanic and non-Hispanic construction supervisors, the implementation of a participatory approach to the training 16 Blueprints www.asse.org
program via focus groups and interviews with residential construction supervisors and workers, and most importantly, on the systematic evaluation of the training program among construction supervisors in the residential sector. Hispanic Workers Health & Safety Conditions at the Workplace In the U.S., the largest and fastest-growing minority group is Hispanics, who reached 46.9 million in 2008 and by 2010, the Hispanic origin population became the second-largest race/ethnic group (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008). In 2008, the construction industry employed the highest percentage of foreign-born workers, about 2.5 million; and 25% of all construction workers were workers of Hispanic descent, many of whom were Spanish-dominant and some bilingual (CPWR, 2009). On the other hand, construction labor is one of the most hazardous activities due to a dynamic process in which workers are exposed to several hazards at the same time, with an elevated risk of fatal accidents. Between 1992 and 2000, the number of construction workers who died of occupational injuries in the U.S. was 9,957 of whom 1,501 were identified as of Hispanic origin (Dong, et al., 2004). Five leading events are tied to fatal occupational injuries in construction: fall to a lower level, highway collision, contact with electric current, struck by an object and pedestrian or nonpassenger struck by a vehicle (Dong, et al., 2004). Hispanic construction workers face significantly higher risks in the workplace than non-Hispanic construction workers, even within specific high-risk occupations (Dong, et al., 2004). Supervisors Role in the Construction Industry Supervisors play an important role in the construction industry with responsibilities ranging from administrative tasks to monitoring job and workers performance. They need to balance between the company interests and needs of the workers. Supervisors must attend to many different demands at the construction site, such as quality, productivity, budget, health and safety, job and personal-related workers requirements, and their time is always scarce (Seppala, 1995). In addition, construction workforce has become diverse in terms of cultural
2012
backgrounds, thereby supervisors face an employee population made up of diverse values, beliefs and behaviors. Consequently, supervisors need to know how to response to different cultures at the construction site and how to promote the safety and health attitudes in the workplace. In this environment, supervisors need to improve their abilities to understand workers feelings, read nonverbal communication, listen with complete receptiveness and respond to workers needs in a respectful way according to the diversity in the workplace (Enshassi & Burgess, 1990; Kealey & Protheroe, 1996; Gillen, et al., 2002; Trajkovski & Loosemore, 2006). An organizational aspect referred to by workers is supervisors get monetary benefits when the project is finished before the deadline. However, when projects are delayed or the budget is increased, the supervisors job is put at risk. Therefore, supervisors could unwittingly promote unsafe or inappropriate work practices and could create in workers a lack of respect for work hazards. Supervisors Training in the Construction Industry Learning to be effective supervisors implies more challenges and more responsibilities. Some practices attributed to effective supervisors are paying attention to monitoring worker performance, giving workers feedback and spending time communicating with workers about non-work-related topics (Matilla, et al., 1994). Although construction is one of the most dangerous and labor-intensive industries, inadequate attention is given to improving supervisors managerial skills to keep effective relationships in the workplace between workers and supervisors. Most training programs are mainly concerned with health and safety aspects rather than with interpersonal relationships in the workplace (OConnor, et al., 2005).
Culturally Appropriate Approaches The existence of working environments where workers come together from different countries and languages, bring both opportunities and challenges to achieve and maintain decent levels of productivity, quality and worker safety and health. For example, misunderstandings caused by different communication styles can lead to a loss in the pace of work, quality or jeopardize the worker safety and health conditions. In a multicultural environment rules, regulations, policies, leadership styles, orders or signals at the workplace can be interpreted in a different way by employees according to their previous experiences, values and behaviors. In recent years, researchers have sought intervention strategies that reflect values, attitudes, expectations, behaviors, norms and preferences of the group who are intervening with the aim of increasing participation as well as retention and increasing program effectiveness (Marin, 1993; Woodruff, et al., 2002; Villarruel, et al., 2005; Whittemore, 2007). Such strategies, called culturally appropriate, have been applied in research with the Hispanic population in areas, such as public health, mental health, marketing, religiosity and collaborative learning in education (Brown, et al., 2002; Palmer, et al., 2005; Hall, et al., 2007; Interian, et al., 2008; Babamoto, et al., 2009). Programs to prevent or reduce consumption of alcohol, smoking, substance abuse, violence, AIDS and HIV infections, diabetes, infant mortality, asthma, cancer, depression, traumatized children and so forth have implemented culturally appropriate or relevant community interventions to improve recruitment, participation, acceptability, knowledge, sustainability, etc. (Marin, 1993; Mauldon, et al., 2006; Hall, 2007; Interian, et al., 2008).
The Hispanic Culture Cultures tend to be defined by their values, and values differ remarkably between cultures (Hofstede, 1984). Hispanics often have value systems that are different from other subgroups and from those of American families. In the U.S., culture is the predominant identification among Hispanics mainly by use of the Spanish language (Dana, 1998) as well as strong ties to their country of origin related to national traditions and extended families. General values and traditions attributed to Hispanics include family (familiarism), respect, power distance, simpatia and gender role among others (Marin, 1993; Sue, 2001; Dana, 1998). Family or familiarism describes the importance of the family over the individual and very strong family ties. It has been considered the most important cultural value for Hispanics, as well as a protective factor against physical and emotional stress. Respect refers to a sense of formality when addressing people in a position of authority, people they do not know well and elder people. Personalism describes the importance given to person-topeperson contact or face- to-face ininteraction, as well as warm relationships. Power distance is defined as the interpersonal power or influence that exists between two individuals due to difference in inherent traits or acquired characteristics, such as money, education, etc. Hispanics are considered a high power-distance culture in which conformity and obedience are valued. This is manifested, for example, as a general fear of disagreeing with those in power. Simpatia emphasizes the need for keeping behaviors that promote smooth and pleasant social relation-
ships as a general tendency to avoid conflicts and to achieve harmony in interpersonal relations. Personal space refers to the amount of physical space considered appropriate between people when they are interacting. Hispanics prefer to stand closer to others and may often identify standing further apart as cold and distant treatment. Time orientation is related to the way people value the usage of time. Hispanics tend to have a more flexible attitude toward time and give more importance to the past and present rather than to the future. Gender role is related to the division of roles and gender-related behaviors between both men and women. Traditionally, Hispanic men have assumed the role of being strong, in control and the breadwinner for their families. All of these values and traditions influence the Hispanic populations behaviors, attitudes, beliefs and needs and may influence the way how health, healing, wellness belief systems, illness, injuries, disease and their causes are perceived by other cultures. Respect in the Workplace In the workplace, workers are particularly vulnerable to experiencing situations where cultural differences are misunderstood or not respected by supervisors. These situations may range from differences related to difficulty in understanding hazards exposure, controls and deficient interpersonal relationships. Some quotes regarding workers perception of supervisors behaviors from focus groups conducted with construction workers highlight the importance of respect when communicating and dealing with Hispanics: I think that the company should educate supervisors. Teaching them that this (the worker) is not your son, he is an employee, he is not your child so he does not do what you want, he will do the job on the day. Some American supervisors are disrespectful and they see Hispanic workers as trash. What is happening with the Hispanic supervisors is that they want that you to work all day long without breaks, while the white (non-Hispanic supervisor) does not put pressure on the Hispanic workers. They should be humanitarian [supervisors]. First, he should feel as if he were at the same level as the employee, even when the supervisor is in a higher position. Obviously, he needs to know that he is working with a human being like he is. There are cases that may occur where there are supervisors who do not think so and push you, causing you to make mistakes. Supervisors should be aware [regarding risks at the workplace] and experienced [in the construction industry] because some companies hired inexperienced supervisors. Methods Examples of leadership and culturally adapted training programs in the construction industry are limited. A search was done to review the research on leadership
Hispanics are considered a high power-distance culture in which conformity and obedience are valued. This is manifested, for example, as a general fear of disagreeing with those in power.
and culturally appropriate training focusing on results that may be relevant to improve managerial skills and behaviors in middle managers and supervisors. Some of these materials were adapted while some were designed from scratch. In our design and development criteria, we considered adult and popular education guidelines and focused on the culture of the residential construction sector. 2). This module looks for understanding, accepting and valuing cultural differences at the workplace. It should be general in approach rather than directed toward a specific culture to give a broad idea of differences and similarities across cultures. Cultural influences, lifestyles and assumptions that affect their relationships are analyzed. Suggested contents are: cultural diversity and how it affects the worksite; cultural differentials and similarities in culture Designing Training Modules attitudes, value and belief systems, characteristics, A training program is proposed to provide basic behaviors, traditions (how others see Americans, how human relationship skills for construction superviothers see non-Americans); sors. The training program seeks developing an effecstereotyping. tive tool that would improve the current construction Effective Communication at the Workplace supervisors leadership and cultural skills. The training (Module 3). Most communication in the construction program would reduce the cultural gap between multiindustry takes place orally. In an environment with difcultural workers and supervisors to assist construction ferent languages and barriers, the possibility of ambiguity supervisors in becoming more prepared to interact and misunderstanding becomes greater, which can slow appropriately with others who may not share thoughts down the work process and put workers at risk. and perspectives due to their cultural background. The Communication is considered an important skill for curriculum was based on a literature review regarding developing leadership, and topics in this module include: training programs for managerial levels working with learn to listen; multicultural forces. The modules were focused not language barriers; on providing information about different cultures or verbal and nonverbal communication; becoming a cultural expert; instead, they were intended techniques to provide feedback; to encourage construction supervisors to be aware of values in communication (power distance, respect, differences and similarities, avoiding stereotyping and empathy, trust). recognizing and finding ways to communicate that fit the Effective Construction Supervisor (Module 4). This situation in a respectful work environment. module focuses on the application of previously gained The curriculum described in this project is divided knowledge, as well as achieving supervisors commitinto five modules: four standard modules focus on ment to promote tangible changes in the workplace. fostering interpersonal relationship with people from explore ways to improve communication and probother cultural backgrounds and the last one is designed lem-solving; to delve into Hispanic culture, which may be adapted identify barriers to worker participation; according to the main population at the worksite. motivate others; Supervisor Leadership (Module 1). This step looks promote a respectful workplace. for creating a supervisors learning need through increasThe Hispanic Culture (Module 5). This floating ing awareness toward their characteristics and duties, module will be adapted to each target population to give their role at the construction site, identifying their expec- a deep analysis to the main characteristics of the group tations and exploring how they may improve their skills, and to identify effective manners to address each one. In for example, for reaching employability status. At the this context, we developed the module focusing on the same time, an examination of their personal values and Hispanic culture. beliefs and their influence on workers beliefs and pracdefine who the Hispanics and Latinos are; tices is proposed. The followings are contents suggested: Hispanic values and beliefs; supervisors roles and responsibilities at the workplace; Hispanic cultural characteristics that influence health supervisors skills and abilities; and safety beliefs and attitudes; expectations and needs; strategies to reduce language barriers. personal and professional development; own values, perspectives and worksite view; To conduct the training, a variety of techniques have self-awareness. been reported in the literature. Some techniques used by Working with a Multicultural Teamwork (Module 19 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012
multinational corporations in training managerial levels to increase the effectiveness of training programs include the following (Gannon & Poon, 1997; Jarrel, 2008; Inglis et al., 2004; Harvey, 1997): Case Studies. A case study is considering a situation that includes enough detail to assess the problems involved and to determine possible solutions. It requires trainees to analyze character, context, actions and possible outcomes. A case study aims to react to a real-world situation and to address a concrete problem typical of those encountered in cross-cultural or ethnically diverse situations. Role-Playing. Role-playing is a universal training method in which people are exposed with some situation in a real or artificial environment and assigned to different roles. It gives an opportunity to see the field situation from perspectives other than those they might be taking in reality and increases sensitivity to the experiences of other persons situation. Simulations. Simulation games are more elaborate than role playing. It is a structured training activity with specially created conditions, which aim to reproduce a particular situation. A simulation game might concentrate on communication, feedback, leadership and team skills while another will cover problem-solving, decisionmaking, etc. Videotapes. Videotapes, films and other visual training aids are techniques in conjunction with lectures or discussions. Use of interactive videos and simulations are suggested because it is possible to have a high frequency or repetition to better understand material, and training elements could be viewed in private. Multiple models may be used to represent different cultures or cultural clusters, and material can be edited to adapt to different populations.
Mexican Americans. Diabetes Care, 25(2), 259-268. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2008). Census of fatal occupational injuries summary. Retrieved Jan. 15, 2010, from http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshcfoi1.htm. Burt, C.D.B., Sepie, B., et al. (2008). The development of a considerate and responsible safety attitude in work teams. Safety Science, 46(1), 79-91. CPWR. (2009). The construction chart book. C.T.C.f.C.R.a. Training. Dana, R. (1998). Understanding cultural identity in intervention and assessment. Multicultural Aspects of Counseling Series 9. Thousand Oaks, CA. Dingsdag, D.P., Biggs, H.C., et al. (2008). Understanding and defining OH&S competency for construction site positions: Worker perceptions. Safety Science, 46(4), 619-633. Dong, X., Entzel, P., et al. (2004). Effects of safety and health training on work-related injury among construction laborers. Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 46, 122-1228. Enshassi, A. & Burgess, R. (1990). Training for construction site managers involved with multicultural work teams. International Journal of Project Management, 8(2), 95-101. Flin, R. & Yule, S. (2004). Leadership for safety: Industrial experience. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 13(2), ii45-ii51. Gannon, M. J. & Poon, J.M.L. (1997). Effects of alternative instructional approaches on cross-cultural training outcomes. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 21(4), 429-446. Gillen, M., Baltz, D., et al. (2002). Perceived safety climate, job demands and coworker support among union and nonunion injured construction workers. Journal of Safety Research, 33(1), 33-51. Hall, C., Hall, J., et al. (2007). Effects of a culturally Implications in the Field of sensitive education program on the breast cancer knowlWorker Health & Safety edge and beliefs of Hispanic women. Oncology Nursing Improving the psychosocial work environment is Forum, 34(6),1195-1202. critical in promoting safety and health in the workplace. Harvey, M.G. (1997). Inpatriation training: The next By creating awareness among supervisors of the implichallenge for international human resource managecations of dealing with multicultural workforces, we ment. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, could embrace them to better understand other cultures, 21(3), 393-428. values and perspectives. When individuals feel accepted, Hofstede, G. (1984). Cultures consequences: respected and included within an organization, they can International differences in work-related values become more productive, effective and healthier workers. (abridged edition). Cross-Cultural Research and Supervisors are perhaps the most critical agents in achiev- Methodology Series, Vol. 5. ing this change within the construction culture. x Inglis, S., Sammon, S., et al. (2004). Cross-cultural simulation to advance student inquiry. Simulation & References Gaming, 35(4), 476-487. Babamoto, K.S., Sey, K.A., et al. (2009). Improving Interian, A., Allen, L.A., et al. (2008). A pilot study diabetes care and health measures among Hispanics of culturally adapted cognitive behavior therapy using community health workers: Results from a ranfor Hispanics with major depression. Cognitive and domized controlled trial. Health Education & Behavior, Behavioral Practice, 15(1), 67-75. 36(1), 113-126. Jarrell, K., Alpers, R.R., et al. (2008). Using BaFa BaFa in evaluating cultural competence of nursing stuBrown, S.A., Garcia, A.A., et al. (2002). Culturally dents. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 3(4), 141(2). competent diabetes self-management education for 20 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012
Jaselskis, E.J., Strong, K.C., et al. (2008). Successful multinational workforce integration program to improve construction site performance. Safety Science, 46(4), 603618. Kealey, D.J. & Protheroe, D.R. (1996). The effectiveness of cross-cultural training for expatriates: An assessment of the literature on the issue. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 20(2), 141-165. Marn, G. (1993). Defining culturally appropriate community interventions: Hispanics as a case study. Journal of Community Psychology, 21(2), 149-161. Mauldon, M., Melkus, et al. (2006). Tomando Control: A culturally appropriate diabetes education program for Spanish-speaking individuals with Type 2 diabetes mellitusevaluation of a pilot project. The Diabetes Educator, 32(5), 751-760. Mattila, M., Hyttinen, M., et al. (1994). Effective supervisory behavior and safety at the building site. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 13(2), 85-93. Menzel, N.N. & Gutierrez, A.P. (2009). Latino worker perceptions of construction risks. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. Michael, J. Guo, et al. (2006). Production supervisor impacts on subordinates safety outcomes: An investigation of leader-member exchange and safety communication. Journal of Safety Research, 37(5), 469-477. OConnor, T., Loomis, D., et al. (2005). Adequacy of health and safety training among young Latino construction workers. Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 47, 272-277. ODriscoll, M.P. & Beehr, T.A. (1994). Supervisor behavior, role stressors and uncertainty as predictors of personal outcomes for subordinates. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 15, 141-155. Palmer, R.C., Fernandez, M.E., et al. (2005). Correlates of mammography screening among Hispanic women living in lower Rio Grande Valley farmworker communities. Health Education & Behavior, 32(4), 488503. Pew Hispanic Center. (2008). Statistical portrait of Hispanics in the U.S. Retrieved Jan. 30, 2010, from http://pewhispanic.org/factsheets/factsheet.php ?FactsheetID=58. Ptak, C.L., Cooper, J., et al. (1995). Cross-cultural training programs: Advice and insights from experienced trainers. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 19(3), 425-453.
Originally published in the Vol. 4 No. 2 issue of the Safety Professionals & the Latino Workforce newsletter.
Since 2008, she has worked as a research assistant on Proteccin en Construccin (PenC). PenC is a research project focused on reducing fall hazards and silica exposure among Hispanic construction workers in Lawrence, MA. Her master capstone focused on designing a supervisor training program to enhance supervisors leadership skills in building a more respectful work environment. She also designed the PenC bilingual website; designed and translated materials for contractors and workers, such as quarterly newsletters; conducted focus groups, interviews and surveys; and reviewed and adapted data collection instruments for construction site safety. Currently, she is evaluating Hispanic workers perceptions of safety climate at the construction site. Marin holds an M.S. in Work Environment (Ergonomics and Safety) from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. Maria Brunette, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Work Environment at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. She has published numerous articles and has conducted research across a broad spectrum, including quality of work life, occupational stress and safety and health of Hispanic workers in the U.S. Brunettes work focuses on applying human factors and systems engineering to the design of work systems. Her interests include methods for measuring the role of job, organizational and cultural factors in the quality of work life. In all these areas, her focus is on underrepresented ethnic groups and women, especially those of Hispanic origin. Her scholarly interests include macroergonomics; job and organizational design; job satisfaction and stress; and occupational safety and health. Brunette holds degrees in Industrial Engineering from the University of Lima, Peru (B.S.), the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez (M.S.) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Ph.D.).
Luz Stella Marin is a doctoral student in Occupational Ergonomics and Safety at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell.
n light of the criticism and complaints that have followed OSHAs directive rescinding the Interim Fall Protection Compliance Guidelines for Residential Construction, ASSE in a letter to Assistant Secretary David Michaels stated its support for the change in policy as a needed step forward in protecting workers. ASSE also commended OSHA for its efforts to work with residential contractors in the implementation of this policy both by extending its temporary enforcement measures and in providing extensive resources to help employers implement the policy. x
ASSE Supports OSHA Rescission of Residential Fall Protection Exemption
professional Education
SPALW Establishes Educational Grant

SSEs Safety Professionals and the Latino Workforce (SPALW) common interest group has established a professional development grant aimed at providing assistance for members in the SH&E occupation to further their education and career in an effort to decrease the amount of workplace accidents among Latinos. While workplace fatalities are slowly decreasing and awareness about staying safe on the job is increasing, workplace incidents within the Latino workforce remain high. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 682 Hispanic or Latino were fatally Workplace incidents workers injured while at work within the in 2010. Fatal injuries among this populaLatino workforce tion accounted for remain high. 15% of the total fatal work injuries with a fatal work injury rate of 3.7 per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers. The fatal work injury rate for all workers is 3.5 per 100,000 FTE workers. The SPALW professional education grant was established to bring more attention to this issue and to get more Latino representation in the occupational safety profession. All of us as Latino safety professionals felt that not enough people were getting into safety classes, explain SPALW Chair Anibal Franco. We do not have enough representation in occupational safety. The establishment of the SPALW grant was also partially in response to a study commissioned by NIOSH, which concluded that within 5 years, the demand for occupational safety and health professionals will significantly outnumber the amount of
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individuals with the proper training to fill the positions. Starting in the spring of 2013, the SPALW professional education grant will be awarded each year to several individuals to enable them to attend various occupational safety classes and certification programs, seminars, conferences or any other event that will further develop their career as a safety professional. The grant is presented in partnership with the ASSE Foundation. ASSE and SPALW member, Rixio Medina, CSP, of Rixio Medina and Associates, L.P., who also serves on the foundations fundraising committee, has donated $3,500 to start the SPALW professional education grant. Other SPALW members and those who are committed to ensuring improved workplace safety for Latinos are encouraged to contribute to the fund as well. To contribute to the SPALW professional education grant online, click here and note SPALW in the Other field. Contributions can also be mailed to Mary Goranson, Foundation Manager, ASSE, 1800 E. Oakton St., Des Plaines, IL 60018. Please earmark donations SPALW. For more information on SPALW, visit www.asse.org/SPALW. SPALW is open to all ASSE members and focuses on the advancement of Latinos in SH&E and cultural and communication needs in a culturally diverse workforce. x
safety tips
Preventing Backover Injuries & Fatalities
orkers face fatal injuries when struck by vehicles backing up or when caught between backing vehicles and an object, such as a loading dock. OSHA found that about 360 workers died from backover incidents from 2005-10. OSHAs request for information is consistent with other agencies regulatory actions, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which issued a notice of proposed rulemaking requiring cameras in certain vehicles under 10,000 pounds to prevent people from getting backed over. Comments on this RFI must be submitted by June 27, 2012. Interested parties may submit comments at the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Comments may also be submitted by mail or facsimile. See the Federal Register notice for details. Consensus Standards & State Standards The standard, Work Zone Safety for Highway Construction (ANSI/ASSE A10.47-2009), contains several sections regarding backing construction vehicles and equipment. Section 6.2 of this ANSI standard requires that, when pedestrians are potentially in the blind areas of vehicles and equipment, the vehicles and equipment must use a mechanical backing assistive device (Note #9) or a spotter before backing. Section 6.2.1 requires the use of a mechanical backing assistive device and a backup alarm if the employer does not use spotters. Section 6.2.2 requires employers to train spotters on the following topics: how to safely direct backing maneuvers; on not standing in the path of construction vehicles or equipment; to remain in the direct line of sight of drivers; and to wear high-visibility apparel. Employers also must train drivers to stop their vehicles when they lose sight of spotters. Section 6.2.3 requires that visual warning devices supplement audible backup alarms, especially at night.
Note #9 in the standard defines a mechanical backing assistive device as a mechanical device that provides increased visibility or detection of objects behind a vehicle to prevent accidents during reverse operations. Backover Prevention Methods One common method to address backover hazards is to use spotters to signal drivers while backing a vehicle. However, spotters are at increased risk of death or injury if drivers lose sight of them while backing. Internal traffic control plans (ITCP) are another method used to address backover hazards. Project managers can use these plans to coordinate the flow of construction equipment, workers and vehicles at a worksite to prevent vehicle impacts with workers. These plans can significantly reduce, or possibly eliminate, the need for vehicles to back up on a site. Section 6.3 of the A10.47 standard recommends that employers develop ITCPs and communicate them to employees. In addition, Section 6.3.3 states that an ITCP should include a diagram of travel routes; a listing of all onsite personnel and equipment; a checklist of site-specific safety hazards and how to minimize these hazards; a list of safety notes defining site-specific injury prevention measures; and a plan for communicating the ITCP to workers, truck drivers and equipment operators. x
fall protection
By Brad Spelbring
Fall Protection From a Contractors Perspective
fter working more than 15 years as an electrician, I have seen the push for safety increase and the rules and laws to protect workers only confuse and frustrate them. This attitude hampers production. Do not misunderstand, I know safety should be taken seriously, and it needs to be refreshed and taught repeatedly to decrease accidents and improve productivity. In the past 5 to 7 years, arc flash training has dominated the training concerns and time of safety managers. During this time, being in construction management myself, I have felt the most important part of safety for electricians should be fall protec-
tion, and this has not been focused on nor have any major improvements been made to the current fall protection equipment to increase productivity. Having been involved in two fall-related incidents and not having been seriously injured, my opinions may be biased. My first accident happened during my 6th month of training. I spent nearly 5 months on a service truck. To keep from being laid off, I had to work at an industrial facility where 40 to 50 electricians worked year-round. It was here my first accident occurred. My journeyman and I had just placed our ladders, set up safety cones and placed caution tape around the whole area to
protect others from fall hazards. We were installing 5-in. galvanized rigid conduit above two hot tanks. We had just climbed up the ladders, tied off and raised the 10-ft. stick of conduit when we both heard a company employee screaming for us to Look out! as he ripped through the safety tape and accidentally knocked my ladder over, causing me to drop the conduit and leave me hanging there like a piata. Because of the weight of the conduit and the fact we were on ladders, it also caused my partner to fall off of the ladder and put a deep gash on his shoulder. If anyone else has ever been on the end of a lanyard, you know how bad the pain is once the shock wears off.
I was fortunate that I was only bruised for several days and missed no work because of it. My partner received ten to twelve stitches and missed 2 days of work. We were both about 30 ft. off the ground above two very hot tanks, which could have resulted in broken bones, secondand third-degree burns or possibly death. Even though my partner and I followed the rules and regulations to the letter of the law, we were still involved in an accident. Since I began work in this field, I vowed to always follow the safety rules to the letter of the law. My partner on the other hand was old school and had worked for 20 years in the trade before safety harness use was enforced. He always complained about how stupid and what a waste of time all of the new safety rules were. But after that little experience, he was a true believer and began using the incident as a teaching tool for future apprentices. From that day, he always made sure that the harnesses and lanyards were current and not damaged. His diligence has prevented countless accidents over the years. But not all old-timers take such a proactive attitude toward safety, especially fall protection. These nonchalant attitudes about this hazard often come from the guys with more than 20 years experience. They often say that the harnesses slow them down even though it has been more than 12 years since they were required nationwide. This attitude seems contagious because the young guys do not want to speak up against the older, seasoned journeyman. It seems that this issue is more common in smaller companies and service departments. The mentality that the employee is saving the employer money or keeping the customer happy by doing something unsafe is absurd. One reportable accident will cost the company far more than they could ever save by cutting corners and really just being careless and lazy by not using fall protection. Who will tell his family that he was trying to
save his boss money when he is in the hospital or morgue because of this attitude? I would like to emphasize that ladder accidents injure more than 220,000 people each year according to USA Today in July 2005. But by just following a few safety rules, you can go home safely to your family every night. 1) Follow the instructions and warning labels carefully. This will ensure that you use the proper ladder for the proper job. 2) Always use a fiberglass ladder when you are working on or near electricity. You would be surprised by how many electricians have aluminum ladders on their service trucks. 3) Ensure that the rungs are clean and dry and that the ladder is in good working order with nothing broken. 4) Keep the ladder on a clean level surface. 5) When using an extension ladder, for every 4 ft. of ladder height, the bottom of the ladder should be only 1 ft. away from the wall or object it is leaning against. 6) Always make sure the object or wall you lean your extension ladder against is sturdy and load-bearing. 7) When using a stepladder, ensure that the spreaders are completely opened and locked before putting any weight on the ladder. 8) Never lean a step ladder against anything and climb it. 9) Do not overextend your reach. Move the ladder to new positions as work progresses to keep your center of gravity between the rails of the ladder. 10) Do not carry tools or parts in your hands while you climb the ladder. Invest in a tool belt or have someone hand the objects to you when you are finished climbing and ready to work. 11) Face the ladder while climbing; keep body weight centered and evenly distributed between the rails. 12) Always have one hand and one foot on the ladder at all times to keep your balance.
Brad Spelbring has more than 12 years experience in construction and safety management. He can be reached at compassconsultingservices@yahoo.com. This article is from the May/June 2010 issue of Insights magazine. It is reprinted with the permission of the Independent Electrical Contractors Inc. (IEC) (http:// www.ieci.org/).
13) Never move a ladder while standing on it. Make sure people and equipment are off the ladder before moving or closing it. 14) If using a ladder in front of a door danger tape the area on the other side and lock if possible. 15) Never leave a raised ladder unattended. 16) Always use safety cones, caution tape or danger tape to mark the area below the ladder to reduce falling parts hazards and to warn people that ladders are being used in the area. 17) Always inspect The mentality that your harness and lanyard and check the the employee is issue dates. These tips are saving the employer sometimes overmoney or keeping looked to be more efficient, but if you do the customer happy them every day, you by doing something will begin to avoid problems and actually unsafe is absurd. become very quick at the inspections. If you are not sure, have someone else look at it and make a decision together. Your safety is ultimately your responsibility no matter what anyone else says. If you do not truly feel safe with the task at hand, do not do it. A simple little thing could make you afraid of heights and there is no electrical job for a ground pounder. Hopefully, my story, and these simple yet important tips will help ensure that you will go home safely to your family every night. Your main goal at the beginning of every shift should be safety, especially in the area of fall protection. x
announcements
Revised A10.8 Standard Now Available

he revised standard, Scaffolding Safety Requirements (ANSI/ASSE A10.8-2011), received final ANSI approval on August 31, 2011 and became effective on Feb 13, 2012. The A10.8 standard establishes safety requirements for the construction, operation, maintenance and use of scaffolds used in the construction, alteration, demolition and maintenance of buildings and structures. It does not cover permanently installed suspended scaffold systems or aerial platforms. Past versions of the A10.8 standard include: Originally approved: 1969 Revised: 1977 Revised: 1988 Reaffirmed: 1997 Revised: 2001 Current: 2011 For more information on the A10.8 standard and its accompanying comparison document, click here.
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OSHA Extends Temporary Enforcement Measures in Residential Construction
temporary enforcement measures in
SHA will extend for 6 months its
residential construction. The temporary enforcement measures, extended through September 15, 2012, include priority free on-site compliance assistance, penalty reductions, extended abatement dates, measures to assure consistency and increased outreach. Fatalities from falls are the number one cause of workplace death in construction. Over the past year, OSHA has worked closely with the industry, conducting more than 1,000 outreach
are available on the Fall Protection in Residential Construction page. x
sessions nationwide to assist employers in complying with the new directive. OSHA will continue to work with employers to ensure a clear understanding of, and to facilitate compliance with, the new policy. OSHAs website also has a wide variety of educational and training materials to assist employers with compliance. Multiple easy-to-read fact sheets, PowerPoint and slide presentations, as well as other educational materials
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SSEs Foundation (ASSEF) will release its 2013 Scholarship Program information on September 1, 2012. In preparation, the Construction Practice Specialty would like to provide members with information on the application process and where to find more information to properly position yourself for a scholarship or grant. Below are some tips. Click here for full details. Review the list of Frequently Asked Questions before you complete the application. When applying for more than one scholarship, only complete one application. The same application should be used for both undergraduate and graduate programs. Please complete the information that is relevant to your status. Incomplete or late applications will be disqualified. Applicants must graduate in May 2013 or later to be eligible for any of the awards. Previous recipients of ASSEF If you have any questions, please scholarship awards are eligible to e-mail Adele Gabanski at agaban receive subsequent awards. ski@asse.org. x ASSE student membership is preferred and costs $15 per year. To obtain an application for student membership, contact ASSEs Publication Archives Customer Service department at e are happy to announce that practice (847) 699-2929 or download the specialty branch and common interest application. group publications are now archived in the ASSE general or professional Members Only section under Resources. membership is preferred if you are Find past publications for all of the groups you a part-time student applying for a belong to in one place! scholarship. Mail your completed applications Best of the Best: A postmarked by December 1, 2012 to: Compilation of the Top ASSE Foundation Attn: Adele Gabanski Practice Specialty Articles 1800 E. Oakton St. Best of the Best 2010-2011 Des Plaines, IL 60018 Best of the Best 2009-2010 Transcripts may be mailed sepaBest of the Best 2008-2009 rately. It is the students responsibiliBest of the Best 2007-2008 ty to make sure it is received on time. The ASSEF Scholarship Award and Selection Committee will review all applications. Award recipients names will be posted on ASSEFs website on or around April 1, 2013.
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he Construction Practice Specialty (CPS) focuses on all aspects of construction safety and is intended to provide industry-specific information and focused networking opportunities to ASSE members. Some popular topics include jobsite safety, LEED, crane safety, communicating to a diverse workforce and contractor relations. Today, CPS is the largest of ASSEs practice specialties. It continues to publish its newsletter, Blueprints, triannually and assists with the publication of Construction Safety Management & Engineering, which is edited by Darryl C. Hill, CSP, a past CPS Administrator and the 2010-11 Society
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A S S E

Atechnical publication of ASSEs Construction Practice Specialty

Maximum Carrying Capacity of Forklift to Given Lift Height

PAGE24 FALL PROTECTION A Contractors Perspective on Ladder Safety

For a complete Table of Contents, see page 3

1 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

Administrator Michael W. Hayslip (937) 434-8951

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Communications Specialist Jolinda Cappello

Publication Design Julia Brenner

1 Maximum Carrying Capacity of

Given Lift Height

Build Safe Chicago

of Scheduling on Construction Safety

Awareness Training Program for Residential Construction Supervisors

24 Fall Protection From

3 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

OSHA Analyzes the Costs of Falls in Construction

4 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

Thanks to our sponsor!

Welcome New Members!

6 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

7 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

Build Safe Chicago

8 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

9 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

Impact of Scheduling on Construction Safety

Table 1 Short-Interval Schedule & Project/Master Schedule

10 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

11 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

Industry Fatalities Update

12 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

ASSE BODY OF KNOWLEDGE

Your Source for SH&E Answers and Solutions

Beat the Heat

14 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

Reinforced Concrete in Construction

15 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

By Luz Stella Marin & Maria Brunette, Ph.D.

Awareness Training Program for Residential Construction Supervisors

17 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

18 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

ASSE Supports OSHA Rescission of Residential Fall Protection Exemption

21 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

SPALW Establishes Educational Grant

22 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

Preventing Backover Injuries & Fatalities

23 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

Fall Protection From a Contractors Perspective

24 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

25 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

Revised A10.8 Standard Now Available

Standard Version iPhone/iPad Version BOK

OSHA Extends Temporary Enforcement Measures in Residential Construction

temporary enforcement measures in

SHA will extend for 6 months its

are available on the Fall Protection in Residential Construction page. x

26 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012

ASSE Scholarships & Grants

Construction Practice Specialty

27 Blueprints www.asse.org 2012