MEDIA
RELEASE
University
Communications
View RMIT media
releases and
find experts:
rmit.edu.au/newsroom
MELBOURNE
BRUNSWICK
BUNDOORA
FISHERMANS BEND
POINT COOK
HAMILTON
HO CHI MINH CITY
HANOI
Prestigious US grant boosts construction OHS research
RMIT University researchers have been awarded a $US500,000 grant by the US
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health for a five-year project
investigating innovative approaches to improving occupational health and safety in
the construction industry.
The grant is the result of a collaboration between RMIT’s School of Property
Construction and Project Management and the Center for Innovation in
Construction Safety Research at Virginia Tech.
Head of the School, Professor Ron Wakefield, said the prestigious NIOSH grant
was recognition of the University’s cutting-edge work in the crucial area of
construction OHS.
“Construction is one of Australia’s highest risk industries, with an alarming rate of
7.8 compensated fatalities per 100,000 employees – compared with 2.5 in other
industries,” Professor Wakefield said.
“There is emerging evidence that a ‘whole industry’ approach is needed to address
the intransigent level of injury, illness and death in construction but, despite many
efforts, OHS is still not embedded as a consideration from the earliest planning
stages to the completion of building projects.
“Our research aims to identify, examine and evaluate ways to better integrate OHS
into project decision-making, throughout the project lifecycle.”
A team of RMIT researchers led by Professor Helen Lingard, Professor Wakefield
and Associate Professor Nick Blismas will work on the project to:
identify how organisational complexity within projects impacts OHS;
examine how fragmented supply chains impede the development of a “unity of
purpose” relating to OHS in construction project teams; and
evaluate how collaborative project delivery mechanisms and procurement
methods can support the integration of OHS during the entire project lifecycle.
Research exchanges between RMIT and Virginia Tech will be supported through
the project, titled From finger-pointing to lifesaving: A “supply chain” approach to
construction occupational health and safety, which will also involve industry
partnerships with key building firms in Australia and the US.
“Collecting data here and in the US will enable international benchmarking,
allowing knowledge and good practice in OHS to be shared between researchers
and industry participants in both countries,” Professor Wakefield said.
For interviews: Professor Ron Wakefield, (03) 9925 3448 or 0438 024 151, or
Professor Helen Lingard, (03) 9925 3449 or 0409 449 644.
For general media enquiries: RMIT University Communications, Gosia
Kaszubska, (03) 9925 3176 or 0417 510 735.
4 March, 2010
NEWS 
