Date of Award

12-2002

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Civil and Construction Engineering

First Advisor

Dr. Osama Abudayyeh

Second Advisor

Dr. Tycho Fredericks

Third Advisor

Dr. Jawahar Nesan

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

The objective of all businesses including construction is to make money and to be profitable. The costs resulting from personal injuries and equipment damage, combined with the associated financial impact resulting from schedule disruptions, insurance hikes, and workers compensation can definitely impact the profitability of any construction operation. Most times those costs can be minimized or avoided by giving safety more attention on construction job sites.

The main purpose of this research is to determine the correlation between management commitment to safety and its impacts on the frequency of injuries and illnesses. To achieve this, a survey was methodically developed and mailed to construction companies that were randomly selected from the top five hundred U.S. construction companies.

Survey analysis results pointed out clearly the correlation between management commitment to safety and a company's safety records. Companies that had in-house safety programs beyond the standards required by OSHA had better safety records than those that merely followed the standards. Recommendations were proposed to better design and implement successful safety programs with clear commitment from management by creating a complete company-wide safety culture.

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