Safe Students, Safe Workers: What Makes a Strong Health and Safety Program for New Construction Workers in Community Colleges?

Background and Objectives: Many new entrants into the construction labor force participate in Career Technical Education (CTE) programs at the community/technical college level. They train approximately 78,000 students annually, 43% under the age of 25. Because CTE construction programs are one of the few places new construction workers receive any kind of training or preparation, they are an important vehicle for educating new and young workers about construction health and safety. The objective of this three-year study was to identify essential program elements that support effective safety and health training in these programs, and describe how these programs are doing. Methods: Two online surveys were conducted within post-secondary CTE construction-related programs across the U.S.. One survey was conducted with administrators (e.g. Deans, Chairs) who oversee these programs and one was conducted with instructors who teach in these programs. Participating schools were 2-year public institutions that offered at least a 6-month diploma in one or more construction trades. Questions focused on safety and health management systems, instructor qualifications and support, curriculum and classroom teaching, and safety and health systems for offsite learning sites. Results: Surveys were collected from 69 administrators and 201 instructors across 79 schools in 34 states. While all instructors have at least two years of field experience and reported prioritizing hands on skills training, there were significant gaps in health and safety preparation and other program components. Only 50% of instructors reported regularly conducting classroom safety and health inspections. Only 55% of programs required an OSHA 10 and/or OSHA 30 course for students. And only two thirds of programs with internship requirements had systems in place to ensure safety and health practices at those sites. Key programmatic elements that emerged from the research are described in a guide for administrators and instructors, including recommended practices.