Evaluation of safety orientation and training programs for reducing injuries in the plumbing and pipefitting industry

Construction workers are at increased risk for fatal and non-fatal injuries . This study examined the effectiveness of employee orientation and trainin g in reducing injuries among plumbers and pipefitters. We searched the Occu pational Safety and Health Administration's "recordable" injury data and "d ocumentable" safety and training records for six plumbing and pipefitting e mployers in northwestern Ohio. During the period 1996 to 1998, 133 injuries were recorded with the duration of 2,541,432 working hours. The most commo n types of injuries were cuts, lacerations, and abrasions. The majority of injuries resulted from workers being struck by objects. The injury rate was significantly higher for small companies and longer working hours. No diff erence was found between traveling and local workers. Seventy-five percent of workers received safety orientations on injury prevention. Among workers who received safety orientations, only 3.4% experienced injuries, compared with 11.1 % of workers without orientations. Safety orientations were asso ciated with a significant reduction in injuries (odds ratio, 0.23; 95% % co nfidence interval, 0.15 to 0.35). Proper safety orientation and training co uld reduce the risks for occupational injuries in construction workers.