Center for Excellence in Construction Safety

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has funded the establishment of a Center for Excellence in Construction Safety at West Virginia University. The overall objectives of the Center include: (1) The promotion of hazard control components in engineering curricula; (2) the promotion of hazard awareness and safety‐related knowledge and skills specific to the construction industry; and (3) the promotion of the consideration of safety issues during project design for the purpose of reducing injury during construction. Specific tasks to be accomplished by the Center include: (1) The development of course materials and instruction on construction safety for civil engineering students at the undergraduate and graduate levels; (2) the promotion of such course materials for adoption by other civil engineering academic institutions; (3) the design and conduct of projects related to the improvement of current construction practices that would develop design parameters to reduce trauma during the construction phase; and (4) the establishment of techniques for the collection and dissemination of construction safety information, educational materials, developed guidelines, and design criteria to engineers, architects, contractors, and trade unions.     

Master Builder Project Delivery System and Designer Construction Knowledge

The master builder system for designing and building construction projects was the dominant project delivery system in the construction industry during the early part of the 20th century. Master builders were generally charged with both design and construction services for a project. During the last half of the 20th century, many different systems for project delivery with fragmented responsibilities have replaced the master builder system. Reducing the use of the master builder system has led to the creation of elaborate systems for managing projects in the construction industry. In order to investigate the use of the master builder delivery system and other systems, a research project was conducted that included reviewing (1) the history of the construction industry, (2) project delivery systems, (3) constructability issues, (4) construction industry fragmentation, (5) the results of a survey of architecture, engineering, and construction professionals from the San Francisco Bay Area in California on the current processes they use for training engineers and architects, (6) an analysis of the survey results, (7) construction industry recommendations, and (8) conclusions based on the survey results and analysis. The information obtained from the research project, including the survey and an analysis of the results, is included in this document. The results of the research indicate that reduction in the use of the master builder project delivery system and the rise of numerous fragmented delivery systems have limited the designer’s knowledge of construction processes.     

Cost-Benefit Analysis of Embedded Sensor System for Construction Materials Tracking

Tracking and monitoring the location of materials on a construction job site is an important, yet commonly overlooked aspect of field data acquisition because timely information about the status of materials, equipment, tools, and labor resources are directly related to the successful completion of a project. With the advanced technologies and innovations in the construction industry, it has become technically viable to implement automated tracking for construction materials. Through the development of an embedded sensor system, this paper illustrates the implementation of pilot experiments examining the accuracy of a system’s performance. A cost-benefit analysis is conducted to illustrate labor savings associated with construction materials handling by comparison between manual and sensor-based materials tracking. The presented embedded sensor system can be extended into diverse application areas in tracking and monitoring framework by providing improved method of field data acquisition and information management.     

Project Management in the Chinese Construction Industry: Six-Case Study

Originating from the West, project management was introduced into China after the country’s economic reforms in the 1980’s and has since spread quickly throughout the whole country, particularly in the construction industry. However, despite the wide adoption of project management practices by construction organizations and the growing recognition of the importance of project management as an enabler of organizational success, empirical studies on project management in the context of the Chinese construction industry have been inadequate. This paper presents the results of an empirical study of six Chinese construction organizations in order to come to a more comprehensive and sophisticated understanding of project management practices in the Chinese construction industry. The findings revealed: (1) a good appreciation of the role of projects and project management and satisfaction with current project management practices; (2) 11 key aspects of project management implementation; (3) 12 resultant value and benefits; and (4) five aspects of the main challenges facing the organizations. Meanwhile, variations in project management practices and the resultant organizational value were identified, first between the three owner- and the three contractor-case study organizations, then between the two construction contractor organizations and the one design contractor organization.     

Case for Drug Testing of Construction Workers

Drug use has been shown to have a negative affect on both job safety and productivity. Due to the high accident rates in the construction industry it is vital for management to take necessary steps to implement programs and procedures that will increase construction safety and worker productivity. While the effects of a drug-related jobsite accident can be catastrophic for individuals and companies, management should realize that drug use among employees can be damaging to moral, productivity, and quality even if it does not result in accidents. The level of teamwork required for excellent work is harder to achieve and efforts to improve project management by team building are hurt by the absenteeism and short-term employment typical of the employee that abuses drugs. Other areas where the project management of a construction company is compromised by worker drug use are recruitment and retention of human resources, career growth management, and safety. Drug testing construction workers is an effective method for reducing the number of impaired workers on a project site, increasing overall project safety, worker morale, productivity, and profits. There are ethical and legal questions on both sides of the issue and any such management initiative must be balanced with worker rights.     

Contractors’ Views of the Potential Causes of Inconsistencies between Design and Construction in Saudi Arabia

The study identifies the causes of inconsistencies between the design and construction of large building projects. To achieve the study objectives, a questionnaire survey was carried out to collect information on potential causes of inconsistencies at the project design and construction interface. Responses from 27 contractors were analyzed. The results suggest that the involvement of designer as consultant, communication gap between constructor and designer, insufficient working drawing details, lack of coordination between parties, lack of human resources in design firm, lack of designer’s knowledge of available materials and equipment, and incomplete plans and specifications were considered as the most important causes of the project design and construction interface inconsistencies. On the other hand, project management as a professional service, weather conditions, nationalities of participants, involvement of the contractor in design conceptual phase, unforeseen problems, involvement of the contractor in design development phase, and government regulations were the least important causes of inconsistencies between professionals at the project design and construction interface in large building projects.     

Mechanical Contracting Safety Issues

The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to determine jobs/tasks associated with current injury, illness, and fatality trends in the mechanical contracting branches of the construction industry; and (2) to identify current safety practices associated with the reduction of risk of these injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. To achieve the project objectives, a survey was designed and sent to Michigan mechanical contractors. To design an adequate survey, the research team first collected background information using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics online database, published research, and contractor interviews. Fourteen of the 50 mechanical contracting surveys distributed were completed. The pilot study found eye injuries due to grinding and welding and upper extremity cuts due to sheet metal to be the most frequent mechanical contracting task/injury combination.     

Virtual Teams: Guide to Successful Implementation

The successful initiation and execution of a virtual team is gaining increasing attention in the design and construction community. From opportunities to integrate international and multidisciplinary teams to the opportunity to leverage the best resources in an organization on a given project, virtual teams can transform the concept of project planning and execution. However, potential barriers exist in several areas to the successful implementation of virtual teams. The needs of increased management emphasis, social and cultural understanding, and emphasis on common goals are only a few of the nontechnical factors that can turn successful virtual teaming into virtual frustration. When combined with traditional technical challenges including compatibility of systems, security, and the selection of appropriate technologies, the line between leveraging virtual technologies for enhanced solutions and introducing additional complications into the project process is one that can be easily crossed. This paper presents the findings of research that addresses the opportunities and potential barriers to successful virtual teams in the engineering, procurement, and construction industry. Combining results from current research, industry practices, and early results from nonconstruction industries, the research findings provide an initial path to successful virtual team implementation.     

Component-Based Framework for Implementing Integrated Architectural/Engineering/Construction Project Systems

Current practices and integration trends in the architectural/engineering/construction (A/E/C) industry are increasing the demands for the implementation and deployment of integrated project systems. Much of the research throughout the last decade was driven by the need to develop integrated project systems and standard industry-wide data models to support their development. This paper presents a multitier component-based framework that aims to facilitate the implementation of modular and distributed integrated project systems that would support multidisciplinary project processes throughout the project life cycle. The framework addresses the specific requirements of A/E/C projects, and highlights the required functionality and approach to develop integrated project systems. The framework defines a three-tier architecture: Applications tier, common domain-services tier, and project data-repository tier. The applications tier includes a set of function-specific software tools that interact with the domain-services-tier components via a set of adapters. Adapters map the applications’ internal proprietary-data models to and from a standard integrated data model. The domain-services-tier components implement a number of generic services, such as data management, transactions management, document management, and workflow management. The data-repository tier represents a centralized shared storage of all relevant project information. The paper also discusses the implementation of a prototype software system that demonstrates the use of the framework’s reusable components and the industry foundation classes data model in typical building projects.     

Considering Prework on Industrial Projects

Prefabrication, preassembly, modularization, and off-site fabrication, collectively termed as prework have become more viable with recent advances in design and information technologies. These construction methods offer a substantial opportunity to improve project performance when circumstances merit. Successful implementation of these methods on a particular project requires systematic analysis and early decision making based on specific factors of the project. This paper identifies those factors influencing decisions on the use of prework, and current industry practices for evaluating the applicability of prework on industrial projects. It then presents a decision framework to assist industry practitioners with evaluating the applicability of prework on their project, and describes a computerized tool to aid project teams in the decision-making process. The developed framework and tool are useful and effective in the decision-making process, and easy to use, as validated by practitioners in the industry.     

Enterprise Resource Planning for Construction Business Management

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) was originated in the manufacturing industry. It provides a general working environment for an enterprise to integrate its major business management functions with one single common database so that information can be shared and efficient communications can be achieved between management functions. This paper first briefs the ERP technology, its origin, and its current development in general. Based on the needs of running a construction enterprise, ERP shows its potential for the construction industry. However, the unique nature of the industry prevents a direct implementation of existing ERP systems, which are primarily developed for the manufacturing industry. This paper underlines the importance of the establishment of the basic theory for developing construction enterprise resource planning systems (CERP). A CERP must address the nature of the general industry practice. Fundamental features are identified and discussed in the paper. A three-tiered client/server architecture is proposed, with discussions on the functions and major components of each tier. Needed research issues are discussed, including CERP architectures, project management functions, advanced planning techniques, standardization of management functions, and modeling human intelligence. Construction management examples are incorporated into the discussions.     

Contractor Selection Criteria: Investigation of Opinions of Singapore Construction Practitioners

The construction industry has witnessed the failure of many contractors due to varying reasons such as financial problems, poor performance, or accidents arising from the lack of adequate safety consideration at worksites. All these incidents have led to the impression that the current system of awarding the contracts is inefficient in selecting the contractor capable of meeting the demands and challenges of present times and hence needs to be reviewed accordingly. Therefore, in an attempt to investigate the current situation of the Singapore construction industry a questionnaire survey was conducted for accruing the data required to identify the important contractor selection criteria (CSC) and to draw upon construction practitioners’ opinions regarding the importance of those CSC in assessing the capabilities of the candidate contractors during the selection process. The research reported upon forms part of a larger study that aims to develop a computer-interactive multicriteria decision system for contractor selection involving identification of CSC for inclusion in the system, investigation of CSC preferences of construction practitioners, and establishment of weights for those CSC from their perceived importance determined through the questionnaire survey of Singapore construction practitioners. The study highlights that there are statistically significant differences in opinions regarding the degree of importance assigned to some CSC among public clients, private clients, and contractors. Findings from the study may act as an aid in improving the Singapore construction industry by helping construction clients identify multiple CSC apart from cost which should always be considered when assessing the capability of candidate contractors during the selection process, by assisting contractors in improving their attributes in line with clients’ preferences and by facilitating Singapore construction clients and researchers to develop a contractor selection system capable of assessing multiple attributes of the candidate contractors so that the risk of the project failure due to the selection of an inappropriate contractor is minimized.     

Concerns with Safety in Design∕Build Process

Since the time architecture and construction were separated from a master-builder concept, the issue of construction safety has plagued the architect, owner, and contractor relationship. What should be a process to ensure the adequate completion of a project often becomes a struggle between all parties involved. The construction process has become a haven for litigation, with owners routinely shopping for the cheapest designer. This designer is often the one who becomes the “low bidder” by shorting the design services, such as coordination of disciplines, cost estimating, field supervision, or adequate shop drawings review. Contractors bid work with the intent of being responsible for “means and methods,” but many court cases have determined that the issue of construction safety cannot be their sole responsibility. There exists a need to foster synergy among participants in the construction process. Developing a cohesive idealogy, through design∕build, has shown itself as a vehicle to institute lines of communication, which stimulate productivity, unifying parties and sharing risk. The resolution of risk-shifting is important to those who design, construct, and use architecture.     

Risk-Based Safety Impact Assessment Methodology for Underground Construction Projects in Korea

Safety of construction projects may be affected by various factors such as types and scale of projects, construction methods, safety management procedure, climate, site conditions, etc. Among them is the quality of design in relation to safety. Presently, however, designers typically are not involved in construction safety. They are often uncertain of their responsibilities in relation to construction safety and fail to be responsible for avoiding or reducing safety-related risks. In this study, the concept of safety impact assessment to achieve “design-for-safety” in the design phase is introduced. For this purpose, a safety impact assessment model was devised, and a methodology using the risk-based safety impact assessment approach for open-cut type underground construction projects in Korea is suggested. The suggested methodology includes a safety information survey, classification of safety impact factors caused by design and construction, and quantitative estimation of magnitude and frequency of safety impact factors. A checklist which can be easily used for assessing the safety performance of design products is also proposed. A real-world case study on the safety impact assessment of a subway construction project in Korea is also provided in the paper.     

Measuring Safety Climate of a Construction Company

Safety climate can benefit contractors, specialty contractors, and owners of industries by providing them with the knowledge of attitudes and perceptions that can help to consistently achieve better safety performance. The objective of this research was to determine safety climate that would enhance safety culture and positively impact perceived safety performance on construction projects. A safety climate questionnaire survey was conducted on the construction sites of a leading construction company and its subcontractors in Hong Kong. Approximately, 1,500 hard copy questionnaires were distributed and the response rate was excellent, resulting in 1,120 valid questionnaires being collected from 22 construction projects. By means of factor analysis, two underlying safety climate factors were extracted, accounting for 43.9% of the total variance. Multiple regression analysis confirmed that these climate factors, “management commitment and employee involvement” and “inappropriate safety procedure and work practices” were significant predictors of workers’ perceptions of safety performance. The findings indicated that the relationship between perceived safety performance and “inappropriate safety procedure and work practices” was inversely correlated. The results suggest that safety climate can be used as an effective measure of assessing and improving site safety for projects under construction. The findings of this study and the methodology might be useful for research at other construction sites in other regions and countries. This work provides useful information for project managers and safety practitioners who desire to improve safety climate and safety performance on construction sites.     

Management’s Perception of Key Performance Indicators for Construction

There is a great need in the construction industry for identifying a set of common indicators to be used by construction executive and project managers in measuring construction performance at the project level. The focus of this research was to collect management perceptions of the key performance indicators currently utilized in the construction industry. Both quantitative performance indicators and qualitative performance indicators are represented. A literature search was used to generate the initial set of perceived key performance indicators, which were administered to the construction industry via a survey. A statistical analysis of the collected survey responses provided information for the identification of a common set of perceived Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) by construction sector, management level, and experience level. Correlations were performed for both the quantitative and qualitative indicators to determine which type of indicator is used most extensively. Basic statistical analyses and frequency distributions provided evidence in support of some of the hypotheses of the research. The results of the survey data analysis support the hypothesis that KPIs vary according to management’s perspective. Further analysis displayed a substantial difference between construction executive and project management’s perceptions. However, six indicators were reported as being most useful by every segment of the construction industry involved in this study. The correlation between quantitative indicators and qualitative indicators proved to be inconclusive.     

Premium-Rating Model for Workers’ Compensation Insurance in Construction

Providing adequate workers’ compensation insurance (WCI) is mandatory by legislation in most countries for employers to hire workers. It is enforced to safeguard the interests of occupational injury victims while eliminating their employers’ financial burden of compensation. WCI’s significance in construction is immeasurable because the construction industry appears to be recording higher injury and fatality rates globally. On the other hand, insurance companies must be meticulous in deciding premiums for WCIs for construction projects. Traditionally, insurers have been adopting the experience modification rating technique for premium-rating of WCI. However, this technique has been proven ineffective for construction applications due to the unique characteristics of construction projects. Hence, a new premium-rating model for construction was developed and tested in the Singapore general insurance industry. The proposed model streamlines structured analyses of project hazards, contractors’ safety management systems, market conditions, and insurers’ internal factors to decide optimal premiums. Moreover, it infuses the partnering notion in WCI for construction. The implementation of the proposed model in the insurance industry would facilitate accident control in the construction industry and thereby loss minimization for insurers.     

Developing a Model of Construction Safety Culture

The concept of safety culture is relatively new in the construction industry; however, it is gaining popularity due to its ability to embrace all perceptional, psychological, behavioral, and managerial factors. To address the lack of a verifiable process to analyze construction safety culture, this technical note presents a robust conceptual model that has its roots firmly entrenched in pertinent academic and applied literature. It provides a critical review of the term “safety culture”; along with distinct yet related concepts (i.e., safety climate, behavior-based safety, and safety system). It also compares the proposed model with available safety culture models in order to demonstrate its applicability in construction site environments.