The new Tappan Zee Bridge project in New York is earning high marks for its low injury rate. Constructors officials from the site said Monday the total recordable incident rate for the nearly $4 billion project is 0.63 percent per 100 employees, more than five times lower than the 3.5 percent national average for a construction project of its size.
According to Tappan Zee Construction President Terry Towle, whose father and brother both suffered serious injuries on construction projects, one-fifth of workplace fatalities happen in the construction industry, making it one of the most dangerous industries to work in.
Towle and other officials said the group's "strong safety culture" has kept injuries down. He said the Constructors — a consortium of contractors tasked with designing and building the new bridge — has held over 1,000 safety training seminars and involved upper management in safety initiatives, along with on-site medical care and drug and alcohol screenings.
Monday's event kicked off Safety Week, a program of the Construction Industry Safety Initiative. Initiative executive committee member and Skanska USA Civil CEO Michael Cobelli was on hand to commend the project's safety record. He said it was "not the norm" for the industry, and emphasized the goal for zero incidences.
Ed Doyle, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Westchester and Putnam Counties, an organization made up of several union locals working on the bridge, said safety has been one of the Tappan Zee Constructors' main focuses.
Project officials said they and the Thruway Authority will work to further raise awareness about safety throughout the week.
