Effectiveness of OSHA Outreach Training on carpenters' work-related injury rates, Washington State 2000-2008

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the size and breadth of OSHA's Outreach Training program for construction, information on its impact on work-related injury rates is limited.

Methods: In a 9-year dynamic cohort of 17,106 union carpenters in Washington State, the effectiveness of OSHA Outreach Training on workers' compensation claims rate was explored. Injury rates were calculated by training status overall and by carpenters' demographic and work characteristics using Poisson regression.

Results: OSHA Outreach Training resulted in a 13% non-significant reduction in injury claims rates overall. The protective effect was more pronounced for carpenters in their apprenticeship years, drywall installers, and with increasing time since training.

Conclusions: In line with these observed effects and prior research, it is unrealistic to expect OSHA Outreach Training alone to have large effects on union construction workers' injury rates. Standard construction industry practice should include hazard awareness and protection training, coupled with more efficient approaches to injury control. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:45-57, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Keywords: cohort study; construction industry; occupational injury; safety-training effectiveness; workers’ compensation.