Background:
Thomas & Marker Construction became involved with the OSHA Challenge Pilot in
the fall of 2005. The Ohio Valley Chapter of Associate Builders and Contractors
(ABC) serves as the OSHA Challenge Administrator for Thomas & Marker. The role
of a Challenge Administrator is to assist, encourage, track, and report on
progress made by the Challenge Participant.
Challenge provided an avenue for Thomas & Marker to, according to Safety
Manager, Kyle Koschalk, “take their safety program to the next level.” As one of
the first general contractors in the nation to enter Challenge, Thomas & Marker
found the pilot to be an invaluable tool for strengthening their safety and
health management system (SHMS). Besides providing a roadmap for application
into OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP), participating in Challenge also
enabled the company to perform a gap analysis and establish benchmarks to
measure performance within their SHMS.
Success Impact:
Reduced Workers’ Compensation Claims, Experience Modifier Rate, and
Injuries and Illnesses in the Workplace
As a result of participating in Challenge, Thomas & Marker has been able to put
a comprehensive and effective SHMS in place – resulting in reduced workers’
compensation claims, a lower Experience Modifier Rate (EMR), and contributing to
the bottom line. More specifically, over the past three years, the company
experienced a 75 percent reduction in workers’ compensation claims, a 97 percent
reduction in workers’ compensation claims costs, and their EMR dropped from 0.91
in 2003 to 0.47 in 2007.
The company has also experienced a 45 percent reduction in their OSHA Recordable
Incident Rate and their Lost Time Incident Rate (LTIR) declined by 69 percent.
Thomas & Marker firmly attributes these dramatic reductions to their
participation in OSHA’s Challenge Pilot and their pursuit of OSHA’s coveted VPP
status. Other attributes include increased employee awareness and involvement in
safety and health issues, and a strengthening of the company’s SHMS.
Increased Employee Involvement Leads to Many Positive Results
Beyond experiencing financial benefits, Challenge participants also report
increases in employee morale and ownership of the site’s SHMS. For example,
employees have become more involved in leading critical aspects of the SHMS,
including conducting self-inspections and accident investigations or suggesting
improvements to specific safety policies. By empowering them with the necessary
tools and knowledge, they have been the real champions (and beneficiaries) of
the company’s success and have continued to “challenge” their own safety
performance with successful results.
"We had a strong safety program in place before
Challenge, but we wanted our associates to really buy further into it and take
personal responsibility for implementing it."
Randall Marker, President
Thomas & Marker Construction
Thomas & Marker has met OSHA’s “Challenge” and is
currently in the application process for approval into the VPP Mobile Workforce
Demonstration for Construction pilot.
Origin: Region V, Toledo Area Office
Partners: Thomas & Marker Construction
Entered VPP: OSHA Challenge – fall 2005; currently in the application
process for approval into the VPP Mobile Workforce Demonstration for
Construction pilot.
Industry: Construction (NAICS Code 236220, SIC Code 1542)
Source and Date: Region V, Toledo Area Office
(February 2008)
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