The Associated General Contractors of America is conducting a new study to make job sites safer and search for ways to lower the number of injuries and deaths in the construction industry.
The study will attempt to identify reasons for the 806 fatalities reported nationwide in 2012. The objective is to find common threads in these incidents that can lead to better safety standards.
The study comes on the heels of the release of new federal safety data showing that construction industry and fatalities rates have declined in several states. For example, Texas had a construction injury rate of 4.4 incidents per 100 workers in 2003, a statistic that decreased to 2.3 incidents per 100 workers in 2012. Fatality rates in Texas have also declined — going from 13.1 fatalities per 100,000 workers in 2008, to 12.8 fatalities per 100,000 workers in 2012.
AGC intends to share the study's results with its members, the Occupational Health & Safety Administration, and others.
Related Stories
| Mar 22, 2012
Bill would reintroduce “opt-out” provision in lead paint law
The Lead Exposure Reduction Amendments Act of 2012 (S2148) would restore the "Opt-Out" provision removed from the Environmental Protection Agency's Lead Renovate, Repair and Painting (LRRP) rule in April 2010.
| Mar 15, 2012
New Florida building code establishes flood and storm surge provisions
The new 2010 code establishes minimum design and construction requirements to protect buildings from wind, rain, floods, and storm surges.
| Mar 15, 2012
Illinois city rejects international code due to home sprinkler requirement
Macomb, Illinois aldermen voted to recommend that the city not adopt 2012 international building and residential code standards requiring the installation of overhead sprinkler systems in newly constructed one-family and two-family homes.
| Mar 15, 2012
Tenant advocates propose licensing landlords in New York City
With thousands of New York City rental units posing potential dangers to tenants, city advocates are proposing measures to make landlords improve building safety.
| Mar 15, 2012
Construction industry a big winner in federal small disadvantaged business procurement
Last year, only 5% of federal contract dollars went to small disadvantaged businesses. Construction and facilities support firms were the biggest beneficiaries.
| Mar 15, 2012
ANSI approves new fall protection standards
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has approved two American Society of Safety Engineers' (ASSE) standards addressing fall protection.
| Mar 8, 2012
Engineering innovation provides new option for meeting seismic codes in skyscrapers
Two University of Toronto engineers have developed “viscoelastic-energy-dissipating dampers” to replace many of the heavy concrete beams used in tall structures.
| Mar 8, 2012
CSI webinar on building code compliance March 22
A March 22 webinar will provide an overview of a 28-step process during the design of a building to ensure compliance with building codes.
