Tracking safety performance in construction: A focused approach to the measurement of fatal and non-fatal injuries, 2003–2012

AbstractThis analysis develops a Basic Model focusing on the loss of productive time resulting from death or injury as of prime importance in measuring trends in the safety environment supplemented by a Financial Model measuring loss in dollar terms. This provides two views of the impact of death and injury in the construction industry in the 41 states for which comparable fatality and injury data were available for the period 2003 through 2012. This period is significant in that it includes periods of boom, bust and recovery. In undertaking this study we developed a state-by-state measure of lost work-life expectancy due to fatalities.Traditional approaches to costing have tended to focus on medical costs, workers’ compensation employment cost and other cost elements as well as victim productivity. In this analysis the impact of death and injury on the individuals involved is the focus with other factors treated as secondary.Applying the Basic and Financial Models to the 2003–2012 period results in findings showing notable improvement in construction safety