Newly Created Taxonomy

Twelve newly created variables were used in this study to shed additional light on heavy construction equipment related accidents. All these new variables were created by reading the abstracts and using the supporting information provided by OSHA investigation reports posted on OSHA website. These newly created variables were chosen from the previous research findings and suggestions. For example, almost all of the construction safety related literature suggests that safety training should be given to workers to increase their hazard recognition ability and mastery of the safe work practices. Therefore, citations issued to establishments due to violation of safety training regulations (Subpart C- 1926.21) helped us to identify safety training for inclusion in our study. It was revealed in our state-of-the-art review that citations issued by OSHA are only studied by only a few researchers to identify the most commonly cited standards.

The new variables and their category levels are introduced in this section.

Equipment Type: This variable shows the type of equipment involved in the accident.

By using the keywords in accident reports, specific equipment types were identified for the cases. This variable has 4 levels, which are:

• Backhoe

• Bulldozer

• Excavator

• Scraper

Equipment Part Involvement: By reading the abstracts of accident reports, it was determined what part of the equipment was involved in the accident, directly or indirectly. This variable helps us identify event types in detail, such as struck by equipment, struck by attachment, and struck by flying object. To do so, three levels were assigned to this variable.

• Equipment’s super structure (tracks, body, tires) involved in the accident.

• Equipment attachment involved: e.g. blades, arms, moving parts

• Carried/pushed load involved: The equipment are sometimes used for hosting/rigging and moving materials, this variable is created to identify if these loads were involved in the accident.

Back-up Motion: At the time of accident if the equipment was in back-up motion then a

‘yes” value was assigned; if not, it was marked as “no”.

Roll-over Protection Structure (ROPS): If involved equipment was equipped with a Roll-over Protection Structure (ROPS), it was assigned a “yes” value; if not, a “no” value was given.

Seat Belt: This variable questions whether a seat belt is installed on the equipment involved in the accident. OSHA regulations CFR 29 1926.601(b)(9) and 29 CFR 1926.602(a)(2)(i) were used to examine this variable. It is a nominal variable; presence is marked as “yes”; otherwise, it is checked as “no”.

Back-up Alarm: Similar to the previous two variables, it inquires whether a back-up alarm was installed and in operating condition on the equipment to alert the workers while the involved equipment moved in the reverse direction. Presence was marked as

“yes”, absence or inoperable condition was marked as a “no”. CFR 29 1926.601(b)(3)

and CFR 29 1926.601(b) (4)(i) were used to identify the presence and operable condition or absence.

Activity Prompting Accident: In order to understand the activities prompting accident we developed the levels below by reading and analyzing the accident abstracts. Each case was assigned to an appropriate level where it fits best.

• Backfilling and compacting

• Site grading and rock removal

• Lifting/rigging

• Site clearing and grubbing

• Loading/Unloading material/equipment

• Pipe installation/trench excavation

• Riding equipment/on equipment

• Equipment maintenance

• Demolition

• Excavation other than trench

Occupational Function: This variable in the new taxonomy was created to indicate the victim’s occupation. The accident abstracts were used to identify the occupation of the victims. They were categorized into two groups: workers who were operating the equipment, classified as “operator”, and workers who were not involved in operating the equipment classified as “on-foot worker”. It should be noted that if a worker was actually an operator, but at the time of the accident, he/she was not operating the equipment or on the equipment involved in an accident, these workers were classified as “on-foot worker”.

Safety Program: OSHA citations were used to create this variable. OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1926.20 (b)(1) requires every company to have a safety (accident prevention) program. If OSHA gave a citation to the establishment due to not having such a program or noncompliance with the mentioned standard, it is marked as “not present”. If no citation was given, it was assigned a “present” value. At this point, the researcher is not sure how an OSHA compliance officer decides this citation. There are industry standards (ANSI) on safety programs; however, none are by OSHA other than model programs on the web. Therefore, the researcher assumes that OSHA compliance officers have a reasonably consistent way of deciding on citations regarding this aspect.

Safety programs are complex due to their multi-faceted and variable nature. This complexity is more straight forward for safety training.

Safety Training: Similar to the safety program variable, this variable was also created with the help of OSHA citations. If OSHA gave a citation due to not providing evidence of training for the worker according to OSHA regulations, 29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2) and29 CFR 1926.20(b)(4), the case was assigned to the appropriate category. It should also be noted that if a citation was deleted due to an appeal and OSHRC decided in favor of the appealing establishment, these cases were handled as if they had not been cited.

Worker Protective System Usage (e.g. PPE, seat belt): This variable indicates whether protective measures on workers had been used at the time of the accident.

Equipment Protective Systems (e.g. brakes, bars, glass, horns): This variable indicates if the equipment has proper protective systems, such as brakes, horns, seat belts, ROPS, installed and in working condition.

Maintenance Issue: This variable indicates whether lack of equipment itself or attachments, as well as protective systems inspection or maintenance, were a factor in the accident’s occurrence.

The next section covers the final research variables, their levels and values, and how they are coded and entered into the statistical software.