SAFETY EMPHASIS IN UNIVERSITY ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS

The education and training of project personnel in the area of safety are significant aspects of safe construction jobsites. Many project personnel enter the industry as estimators, schedulers, project engineers, and project managers after receiving formal education from a university. While university graduates working in these positions on construction projects may not participate in the actual performance of the construction work, their involvement on the project, knowledge of safety, and interaction with construction site personnel can have a considerable influence on construction site safety. It is therefore important that the education of university graduates working in the construction industry includes a focus on construction site safety. A study was conducted to learn how construction site safety is included in university academic programs. The study involved a survey of construction and engineering academic programs in the United States about how, and to what extent, construction safety is covered within the curricula of the programs. Included in the study was a review of the curricula requirements set forth by the organizations that accredit these programs - the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The survey results indicate that safety is covered primarily in construction programs, but to varying extents. It is anticipated that the study results will help the construction industry understand the level of safety preparedness of university graduates.