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Peter Y. Chen, MA, PhD
Colorado State University Department of Psychology
Fort Collins, CO
Ph: (970)491-2143
Email: chenp@lamar.colostate.edu
Abstract:
Construction industries have the third highest fatality rate when compared to other occupations. Although the construction industry comprised only 6% of the workforce in 1999, it accounted for 20% of the fatal occupational injuries across all industry types. Extending from past research and pilot studies with United Association (UA) Locals in three regions, the proposed project will evaluate safety barrier interventions and safety communication campaigns. Specifically, there are two major components to the proposed project: (1) to develop, implement, and evaluate training programs for construction workers and contractors designed to alleviate the barriers preventing safe working behavior; and (2) to disseminate the research findings from the first project component to the greater construction community. Union pipefitters and plumbers in three UA Locals and construction contractors that employ union pipefitters and plumbers (contractor representatives) from three geographical regions will participate in all aspects of the project. Activities of the first component involve: (1) surveying worker and contractor representatives to identify barriers to safe working behavior considered to be most prevalent and severe; (2) implementing training programs for worker and contractor representatives that address ways to alleviate these barriers; and (3) assessing the effectiveness of these training programs for reducing barriers, increasing safety behaviors, and decreasing injuries. Activities of the second component involve: (1) developing the most attractive and effective dissemination channels of safety research findings based on focus groups of worker, contractor, and other safety representatives: (2) tailoring safety campaigns to worker and contractor representatives; and (3) evaluating the effectiveness of the safety communication campaigns for increasing knowledge and awareness about construction safety barriers. Both components of the project will be pilot tested in one region, modified based on pilot test results, and implemented in an incremental fashion across the other two regions.
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