Statistically significant
The Tennessee Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) performed a cross-sectional study of 305 Tennessee-based AGC-member companies designed to identify and assess the impact of safety program elements on safety performance (see box, #5). The study instrument consisted of a 48-item self-report questionnaire designed by the University of Tennessee Department of Health and Safety Sciences and the Department of Industrial Engineering. The 48 items were derived from a literature review of program elements considered to be indicative of a sound safety program (such as policies, procedures, and processes).
Of the 305 companies surveyed, 89 (29%) responded. Results identified a significant statistical economic advantage in the marketplace for those companies reporting the following.
WC costs. WC costs were evaluated by comparing contractor EMRs. Companies with an EMR <1.0 reported a significantly higher number of key safety program elements, such as employing a full-time safety manager (68%), the use of pre-job safety briefings (51%), and a greater number of written drug/alcohol prevention programs (91%).
Company size. Safety performance and program content were a function of company size. A significantly higher number of small companies, defined as having fewer than 50 employees, reported having an EMR >1.0 than did midsize companies employing 51 to 100 employees and large companies employing more than 100 workers. A greater number of midsize-to-large companies reported that they performed drug testing and participated in safety conferences than did smaller companies. In addition, management commitment and safety expenditures (such as safety incentives) were consistently identified as essential components of an effective safety program.
Full-time safety manager. Employing a full-time safety manager was predictive of safety processes and practices. A significantly higher number of companies reported that they presented pre-job safety briefings when employing a full-time safety manager (53%); such companies also reported having a written drug/alcohol prevention program (92%) and drug testing (100%). In addition, companies with full-time safety managers were significantly more likely to report that they:
- Tracked injury and illness costs (74%),
- Performed weekly walk-around safety inspections (70%), and
- Attended safety training programs (77%).
Safety roles, responsibilities and training. Companies that reported defined roles for employees responsible for safety reported a higher number of key safety program elements. A significantly higher number of companies having written and clearly defined safety roles and responsibilities reported having drug and alcohol prevention (91%) and emergency preparedness programs (62%) and conducting safety training (86%) reported tracking of:
- Injury/illness costs (74%),
- First-aid cases (69%),
- Near-misses (33%),
- Walk-around safety inspections (67%).
Companies having these key safety program elements noted that the safety representative reported to executive management and attended senior management meetings. Furthermore, employee involvement (in, for example, safety committees and employee concerns program) and viewing employees as the "ultimate shareholders" increasingly came to be recognized as one of the primary keys to an effective safety program. Training, such as attending local and regional AGC safety events, was an essential component that contributed to a higher presence of clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
4. No reruns. Television cameras can be used to monitor high-hazard waste operations remotely. In this photo, two workers wearing Level A personal protective equipment are transferring hydrofluoric acid into a container for disposal. Courtesy: WESKEM LLC
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