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Perceptions of OSHA 1 O-Hour Training
Effectiveness within Eau Claire,
Wisconsin Trade Unions
by
Adam R. Fechhelm
A Research Paper Submitted in Pmtial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Master of Science Degree
In
Risk Control
The Graduate School
University of Wisconsin-Stout
May, 2010
1
Author:
Title:
The Graduate School University of Wisconsin-Stout
Menomonie, WI
Fechhelm, Adam R.
Perceptions o/OSHA lO-Hour Training Effectiveness within Eall
Claire, Wisconsin Trade Unions
Graduate Degree/ Major: MS Risl{ Control
Research Adviser: Bryan Beamer, PhD, PE, CSP
Monthrvear: May,2010
Number of Pages: 66
Style Manual Used: American Psychological Association, 6th edition
Abstract
The objective of this study was to assess current perceptions of the OSHA lO-Hour
2
Training and its impacts on safety among construction trade/craft union laborers in Eau Claire,
Wisconsin. This method of distribution provided the author with a convenient group of potential
subjects to choose from when distributing the survey. To achieve this objective an original
survey was created and administered by the author at local union hall meetings within Eau
Claire, Wisconsin. Gathering information from several trade/craft unions made it possible for the
author to compare the perceived effectiveness of OSHA lO-Hour Training across several
trade/craft unions.
This study identified four areas which impact the effectiveness of OSHA lO-Hour
Training as related to improving on-the-job safety.
1. Most trade/craft unions require OSHA 1 O-Hour training for apprentices
2. Most respondents' felt as though OSHA lO-Hour Training can improve safety
3. Most participants' would like bi-annual OSHA 1 O-Hour Training recertification
4. Many individual factors can affect ones ability to learning and/or retaining
information
3
The Graduate School University of Wisconsin Stout
Menomonie, WI
Acknowledgments
4
First, I would like to thank my family for the love and support in all of my endeavors thus
far in life. Next, it is only appropriate to thank professors Brian Finder, Bryan Beamer, Elbert
SOlTell, and Gene Ruenger for the knowledge they've bestowed upon me in preparation for
entering the field of Safety through the study of Risk Control. Then, I would like to thank all of
my friends and classmates who helped me to get through this whirlwind that has been the last
two years. Finally, I must thank everyone at the Eau Claire Area OSHA Office for the
experiences during my summer of2009 internship, which ultimately progressed into my first
full-time position in the Safety field as a Compliance Safety and Health Officer.
5
Table of Contents
.................................................................................................................................................... Page
Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ 2
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................... 8
List of Figures .................................................................................................................................. 9
Chapter I: Introduction .................................................................................................................. 10
Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................... 11
Purpose of the Study .......................................................................................................... 12
Methodology ........................ : ............................................................................................. 12
Limitations of the Study ..................................................................................................... 12
Definition of Terms ............................................................................................................ 13
Chapter II: Literature Review ........................................................................................................ 15
Background of OSHA Outreach Training Program ........................................................... 15
Union Information ............................................................................................................. 17
Impact of Individual Characteristics on Learning ............................................................. 18
Characteristics of target population ...................................................... 19
Physical Characteristics .......................................................... 19
Education ........................................................................... 19
Motivation ......................................................................... 19
Interests ............................................................................ 19
Attitudes ............................................................................ 19
Characteristics influencing learning and transfer of training ........................ 20
6
Trainability .......................................................................... 20
Personality .......................................................................... 20
Age .................................................................................. 21
Attitudes ............................................................................ 21
Development of an Effective Survey ............................................................. 22
Analysis of Data ..................................................................................... 23
Conclusions .......................................................................................... 26
Chapter III: Methodology .............................................................................................................. 27
Subject Selection and Description ..................................................................................... 27
Instrumentation .................................................................................................................. 28
Data Collection Procedures ................................................................................................ 29
Data Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 30
Limitations of the Study ..................................................................................................... 30
Summary ............................................................................................................................ 31
Chapter IV: Results ........................................................................................................................ 32
Purpose of the Study ......................................................................................................... 32
Goals of the Study ............................................................................................................. 32
Presentation of Collected Data .......................................................................................... 32
Chapter V: Conclusions and Recommendations ........................................................................... .46
Conclusions ....................................................................................................................... 46
Recommendations .............................................................................................................. 4 8
Suggestions for Further Research ...................................................................................... 49
References ...................................................................................................................................... 50
7
Appendix A: Human Research Subject Consent form ................................................................. 53
Appendix B: Survey Instrument .................................................................................................... 55
Appendix C: For or Against Construction Trade/Craft Workers Having lO-Hour Cards ............. 58
Appendix D: Would You Feel Safer if All Workers Were OSHA lO-Hour Trained .................... 60
Appendix E: Required OSHA 1 O-Hour Training Topics .............................................................. 62
Appendix F: Elective OSHA 1 O-Hour Training Topics ................................................................ 63
Appendix G: Additional Comments for Improving OSHA 1 O-Hour Training .............................. 65
8
List of Tables
Table 1: Does your trade/craft union require OSHA I O-Hour Training .............................. 33
Table 2: Are you for or against construction trade workers having OSHA I O-Hour Training cards . . . . . .. . .... .. .. . ... . . .............. . ........................................................... 34
Table 3: Are you OSHA IO-Hour Trained ................................................................ 35
Table 4: How long ago were you OSHA IO-Hout trained . .. ............... . ............. . .. . .. . . .. .... . 35
Table 5: OSHA lO-Hour training has increased my knowledge of workplace safety .............. 36
Table 6: Would you feel safer if all tradelcraft workers were OSHA IO-Hour trained .... . . . ... .. 37
9
List of Figures
Figure 1: Required topics ranking: Most important. ..................................................... 38
Figure 2: Required topics ranking: Moderately important.. ............................................ 38
Figure 3: Required topics ranking: Of little importance ................................................. 39
Figure 4: Required topics ranking: Least impoliant.. .................................................. .40
Figure 5: Elective topics ranking: Most important. ..................................................... .41
Figure 6: Elective topics ranking: Important elective ................................................... .41
Figure 7: Elective topics ranking: Moderately important. .............................................. .42
Figure 8: Elective topics ranking: Of little impoliance ................................................. .43
Figure 9: Elective topics ranking: Unimportant elective ............................................... .43
Figure 10: Elective topics ranking: Least important.. ................................................... .44
Figure 11: Methods for improving OSHA 10-Hour training ........................................... .45
10
Chapter I: Introduction
The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970 was enacted as a means
of protecting the American worker from on-the-job injmy and illness related to unsafe working
conditions through authorized enforcement of standards. The enactment of the OSH Act of 1970
lead to the creation of an organization known as the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA). OSHA went into effect on April 28, 1971 after being signed into law by
President Nixon on December 29, 1970 (Moran, 2003). The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration was developed as a regulatory agency to enforce the safety policies of the OSH
Act of 1970. The primary purpose of OSHA's existence is to enforce safety and health
regulations established by the OSH Act. OSHA provides educational training, compliance
assistance, alliances and outreach services for employees working within the general industry,
construction and maritime sectors.
As part of the outreach services program, OSHA lO-Hour Training has gained popularity
because of increasing pressure to reduce workplace injuries through safety and hazard
identification training. From 2004 to 2008, 2.3 million laborers received this training
(Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2007). After completion of OSHA lO-Hour
Training, patiicipants are assumed to have a basic level of knowledge related to safe working
practices and hazard identification. According to David Hahn (personal communication,
November 18, 2009), Field Staff Representative of the Bricklayers & Allied Craft-workers
District Council of Wisconsin, this celiification will allow participants to obtain certain jobs,
such as hospitals and paper mills that require this training. OSHA 1 O-Hour Training has been
utilized on a voluntary basis to make new employees aware of the hazards present in
constlUction operations. As stated on May 20, 2009 in a OSHA National News release by Jordan
11
Barab, "Strengthening the integrity of the Outreach Training Program will help ensure that
workers receive quality training, help them gain employment and return them home safely at the
end of their workday" (para. 8).
The goals of OSHA and OSHA lO-Hour Training are similar to those of trade unions in
that they were constructed to improve employee working conditions. Trade unions seek to
improve working conditions directly through contract negotiations with the employing company.
According to Booth (1995) the following areas may be affected by unionized contract
negotiations: health insurance, pension, unfair dismissal, the number of hours worked, wages,
over-time pay, working conditions, how work is perfonned, vacation and paid holidays off.
Trade unions within the United States are typically large and have complex organizational
structures. Each union may vary in specific constitution and organizational layout, but all unions
work together to accomplish an overall objective. According to a publication by the International
Pipetrades Joint Training Committee, Inc. (2004), the unions' "main role is to ensure that all
employees through collective bargaining - have an effective voice in their own pay and their
own working conditions" (p. 4). To help improve working conditions, trade unions in the Eau
Claire, Wisconsin area and other pmis of Wisconsin are taking advantage of OSHA 10-Hour
Training courses to improve safety knowledge and hazard identification among their members.
Statement of the Problem
Within recent years safety training requirements for union tradesmen have shifted toward
requiring OSHA lO-Hour Training for all apprentices and for select jobs such as hospitals, paper
mills and other jobs specified by the contractors. The recent shift toward requiring union labors
to become OSHA 1 O-hour trained may present some issues with acceptance among experienced
union laborers. These laborers may feel as though such basic safety trainings would not benefit
12
them because their personal experiences within their specific profession have taught them how to
work safely. Additionally, experienced tradesmen may be overlooked for specific jobs because
the job contract states that all tradesmen/craftsmen on the project must be trained in at least 10-
hours of OSHA approved safety training and carry a valid OSHA lO-Hour card to verify course
completion.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to assess cunent perceptions of the OSHA lO-Hour
Training and its impacts on safety among construction trade union laborers in Eau Claire,
Wisconsin. For the purpose of evaluating the cunent perceptions of OSHA I O-Hour Training an
original survey was created and administered by the author at local union hall meetings within
Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Methodology
In order to effectively evaluate the perceptions of union tradesmen within the Eau Claire,
Wisconsin area the following methods were utilized:
• A literature review
• Survey development
• Data collection and analysis
Limitations of the Study
The limitations of the study are as follows:
• The sample size of the participants surveyed is small due to the fact that the pat1icipants
consisted of a convenience sample group.
• There was no representation of broader population and therefore no generalizations could
be formed beyond this particular setting.
• Previous industry experience related to safety training may impact the participant's
opinion on the need for and effectiveness of OSHA I O-Hour Training.
Definition of Terms
13
Carpenter(s). use wood, plastic, drywall and other materials to construct, erect, install,
and repair structures and fixtures (BLS, 2009a).
Genera] Laborer(s). clean and prepare construction sites utilizing a variety of tools and
equipment. They can be found on the following types of construction projects: highway, heavy
construction, residential and commercial sites, tunnel and shaft excavations, and demolition sites
(BLS, 2009b).
Mason(s). use durable materials, such as bricks, concrete blocks, and natural stone to
construct buildings, fences, roads and walkways. Some areas of specialization may include
brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons (BLS, 2009c).
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). is part of the United States
Department of Labor and is responsible for employee safety within the workplace.
Plumber(s). install and repair water, septic, drainage, and gas systems within homes,
commercial and industrial buildings. They also install plumbing fixtures and appliances (BLS,
2009d).
Pipefitter(s). install and repair high-pressure and low-pressure pipe systems that are
used for electricity generation, heating and/or cooling within industrial and power plants. They
may also install automatic controls for the previously mentioned systems (BLS, 2009d).
Pipelayers. work outside to build pipelines constructed of clay, concrete, plastic, or cast
iron pipe that are utilized for drains, sewers, water mains, and oil or gas lines (BLS, 2009d).
14
Steamfitter(s). install pipe systems that move liquids or gases under high pressure. They
usually work within industrial settings and power plants to install these systems (BLS, 2009d).
15
Chapter II: Literature Review
The purpose of the review ofliterature is to provide background information about
OSHA 10-Hour Training as pmt of OSHA's Outreach Training Program. Background
information about OSHA lO-Hour Training will include a brief history, recent trends for
requiring OSHA 1 O-Hour safety training and some statistical information to support the fact that
OSHA 1 O-Hour Training programs are gaining popularity among construction and general
industry. Next, information about trade/craft unions will be presented. Then, individual factors
which may affect learning and retention of information will be examined. Finally, methods for
developing an effective survey and analyzing data will be presented.
Baci{ground of OSHA Outreach Training Program
The goal of OSHA's 37 year-old Outreach Training program is to reduce workplace
injuries by training workers in basic safety and health hazard identification and avoidance
techniques (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2009b). The OSHA Outreach
program is offered as an educational tool for those in general industry and/or construction
tradesmen/craftsmen. General industry and construction each have separate training curriculums
because different regulatory standards apply for each industry. General industry standards are
found in 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910 and construction standards are located in
29 CFR 1926. OSHA designates required topics and minimum time limits for each topic within
OSHA 10 and 30-Hour trainings, but does not provide standardized teaching or evaluation
materials. Rather, the trainer is responsible for developing training materials to fit the specific
needs of general industry and/or construction trade/craft based hazards. Additionally, OSHA
encourages trainers to develop evaluation materials to detelmine the student's level of
competency as related to OSHA 10 or 30-Hour Trainings, but does not require evaluation
16
materials as paJi of the training. Upon completion of the outreach program, each student receives
an OSHA 10 or 30-Hour Training card, depending upon which course they have completed.
At the time research for this paper was conducted, OSHA lO-Hour Training was not
required by Federal OSHA prior to performing work related activities within general industry or
construction trades. However, six of the twenty-six states with state OSHA plans currently have
laws requiring construction workers to obtain OSHA 10 or 30-Hour Training prior to conducting
construction activities on celiain publicly funded projects. The six states requiring OSHA 10-
Hour Training are as follows: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire,
Missouri and New York. As of January 1, 2010, Nevada will become the seventh state to require
OSHA 10-Hour safety training for publicly funded construction projects (PR Newswire, 2009).
As stated by Guerra (1998), "Many employers, especially in construction, are requiring workers
to complete the 1 O-Hour Training class before working onsite" (para. 8).
According to page one of OSHA's 2009, Outreach Training Program, 2.3 million
workers were trained in OSHA 10 or 30-Hour classes between 2004 and 2008. In 2008, OSHA
dispersed approximately 80% or 544,000 of the 680,000 OSHA 10 and 30 Hour cards to workers
in the construction trades (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2009a). Of the
544,000 training cards distributed in 2008, approximately 80% of the cards dispersed were for
lO-Hour Training (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2009b). The successes of
Outreach Training Programs may in part be attributable to the fact that many employers, cities
and some states are requiring laborers to obtain OSHA 10 or 30-Hour training cards as a
prerequisite for employment (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2009c).
17
Eckert (2002) observed the following:
The OSHA Outreach Program provides good training with respect to primary workplace
regulations. Since safety training is mandatory, the benefit of instruction verified by
OSHA cards documenting compliance is clear. Ultimately, the value of the program
depends upon the trainer and the quality of instruction. (para. 16)
Union Information
Yates (1998) claims, "the growth of unions and the development of a wider movement
for social change must occur together ... " (p. 7). Research indicates that early attempts to
unionize were met with heavy resistance by the employers. In some cases, attempts to organize
laborer unions in the early 1800's were deemed to be against the law and were punishable by
fines and/or jail time. By the mid 1880s, skilled workers and proponents of labor unions were
able to celebrate the development of the American Federation of Labor (AFL). According to
Yates (1998), "up until the end of the 1930s, the formation of a union was mainly a contest of
power. Employers were intent on keeping their workplaces union-free, and they took whatever
steps were necessary, no matter how ruthless" (p. 24).
Between 1905 and 1935, Wisconsin developed and enacted social and labor reforms such
as workers compensation and unemployment insurance (Holter, 1999). The previously
mentioned social and labor reforms enacted in Wisconsin served as a template for other states
who were initiating similar legislative modifications. According to Holter (1999), Wisconsin's
history of union activity began in 1932 after a group of state employees decided to create a union
by asking for chmter from the Wisconsin State Federation of Labor. The union group formed by
a few state employees in Wisconsin was named the American Federation of State, County and
Municipal Employees (AFSClVIE). With over one million members, AFSCME became one of
18
the nation's largest unions. Over the years, additional unions were developed and union support
has ebbed and flowed in accordance with the economy. According to Yates (1998), "workers
move forward in good times and backward in bad, but always creating the memory for their heirs
that only collective actions could improve their lot in life" (p. 14).
The development of unions has created recognizable divisions between "skilled" and
"unskilled" workers. These divisions were further reinforced by "skilled" craftsmen/tradesmen
because "unskilled" trade workers were often looked down upon and excluded from union
membership. According to Yates (1998), "some occupations require various types of specialized
formal training, and this has often created categories of professional employees" (p. 104).
However, completion of formalized "specialized" training does not necessarily ensure that a
transfer of knowledge has occuned. Rather, it may mean that an individual or members of the
group who have completed the training are eligible for accepting certain jobs that are more
desirable.
Impact of Individual Characteristics on Learning
Merriam-Webster (2009) defines learning as knowledge or skill that is obtained as a
result of attending training or self-study. Zemke & Zemke (1997) purported, "learning refers to
relatively permanent changes in an individual which are related to past experience and the
opportunity to learn, including practice, rather than to physiological changes . . . " (p. 353). A
multitude of factors contribute to how and what individuals learn during training sessions. It is
believed that the extent to which an individual is able to learn and retain information is greatly
affected by both internal and external factors. For the purpose of this study, some internal factors
which may affect learning and/or retention of information will be reviewed.
19
Characteristics of target population. According to Mager and Beach (1967), the
following five characteristics affect learning: (I) Physical Characteristics, (II) Education,
(III) Motivation, (IV) Interests and (V) Attitudes, which include biases and prejudices.
Each of these characteristics is presented in greater detail below.
I) Physical Characteristics. As part of learning during training, the instructor must
consider what each trainee's physical abilities are as related to the tasks he/she is
being trained to perform. Areas of consideration for evaluating the individual's
physical characteristics should include hislher strength, the amount of weight
he/she will be handling and how long he/she will be performing the task.
II) Education. The educational and training background of each individual prior to
the training will affect what his/her needs are and how the materials are presented
for optimal learning efficiency. The goal of training is to avoid re-teaching
information that is already known by the trainees.
III) Motivation. Motivation is an essential element that affects an individual's ability
to learn or retain training materials. This element may be directly affected by the
individual's self-esteem, status within the organization, understanding of the
materials being presented or incentives, such as a promotion or increased pay.
IV) Interests. Training should be linked to the trainee's work and/or non-work related
interests whenever possible. Doing this will help the trainee to develop an
association between the new materials being trained and his/her own interests.
V) Attitudes. The attitudes of prejudice and bias that trainees may have prior to
training may impact his/her ability to learn and retain the materials being
presented. The trainee's attitude toward the presenting instructor or training
20
materials can be affected by both personal experience and work/ related opinions.
Completion of training does not guarantee that trainee atti tudes will change.
Characteristics influencing learning and transfer of training. Colquitt, J. A., LePine,
J. A., and Noe, R. A. (2000) developed a model describing factors that influence learning
and the transfer of knowledge by performing meta-analysis on 20 years of training
motivation research. Their model identifies how individual and work environmental
factors contribute to motivation, learning and the transfer of knowledge. For the purpose
of this study, the author will only outline characteristics that affect the individual's
motivation, learning and transfer of knowledge. The following four individual
characteristics affect learning: (I) Trainability, (II) Personality, (III) Age and (IV)
Attitude. Each of these characteristics is expanded upon below.
I) Tra in a bility. Trainability refers to the individual's cognitive abilities, as far as
reading, writing and mental capacity to adequately understand the training
materials being presented. However, cognitive skills may be improved by
utilizing different training methods such as visual or on-the-job training methods,
thus allowing individuals to learn appropriate skills required for the specific job.
Cognitive factors have been proven to affect one's ability to learn, but
motivational factors still account for large portions of inconsistency when it
comes to learning.
II) Personality. Personality is affected by conscientiousness, goal orientation and
anxiety, but is recognized as an accurate predictor of behavior. Some
conscientiousness individuals learn at a higher level due to confidence in learning,
while other conscientious individuals have not because he/she deceived him/her
21
self about his/her learning progress. The way in which individuals interpret
information and behave in learning settings is affected by one's goal orientation.
Individuals who have a goal set for mastery are generally more motivated to
learning when confronted with challenges than performance oriented individuals.
When confronted with challenges in a learning environment an individual may
develop anxiety and become easily distracted or frustrated. Therefore, frustrations
due to anxiety may negatively impact an individual's ability to concentrate and
learn.
III) Age. As a learning factor age may affect the individual's willingness to learn new
methods/technology because of attitudinal predispositions toward change, work
experience and/or knowledge of the processes. Therefore, the need for learning
new skills may require more justification when presenting the benefits to older
individuals with years of experience.
IV) Attitude. Attitude plays a major role in one's motivation and ability to
successfully participate in the learning process. The motivation to learn for the
betterment of the company and personal skill development may lead an individual
to perform a self-evaluation of his/her skills to detelmine where he/she will seek
fUliher skill enrichment through additional training. Individuals who view the
outcomes of learning as having a positive impact on his/her company and
personal career are more likely to demonstrate higher levels of motivation to
learn. Thus, these individuals are more likely to learn and retain new information
presented during trainings.
22
Understanding how individual and external factors impact a respondent's ability to learn
and maintain information will allow the designer to effectively create a comprehensive survey
for the purpose of this study.
Development of an Effective Survey
Once the needed requirements for developing effective training were defined, the
identification of ways to write an effective survey was needed in order for quality data to be
collected. By establishing an effective survey the goals of this study will be clearly understood.
Additionally, an effective survey will enable participants to provide the best, most accurate,
answers.
Surveys are a popular method utilized for data collection which ranges from brief
reaction forms to in-depth follow-up instruments (Craig, 1996). Surveys tend to be quick, easy to
analyze and cost effective methods for collecting infOlmation from targeted groups of
respondents. Effectively designed surveys with clearly stated questions will allow the researcher
to obtain information about the topics of interest. Collection of quality data is essential for
ensuring the validity of any research project. Gillham (2000) states that good research cannot be
built on poorly collected data.
According to Fine (2006), the first task of developing a survey is to define what questions
must be answered and what the study objectives are. Once the survey objectives are defined, the
main part of writing a survey is to determine what data needs to be collected. Determining what
data needs to be collected is a good start, but is meaningless if accurate data collection methods
are not utilized to ensure survey validity.
According to Spitzer (1997), surveys should do several things to ensure that an effective
survey tool has been developed. The survey should be written in plain language and include only
23
related information, so as to avoid confusion or misinterpretation of the question's intended
meaning. Furthermore, providing a few different types of questions would prevent boredom. For
example, switching between true/false, multiple-choice or short answer would allow the
respondent to switch gears mentally by answering a variety of different question types.
Spitzer (1997) stated that the wording of questions should not be leading or biased to
ensure valid responses. A leading question is one that attempts to guide the respondents answer
by hinting at a preferred or desired response. A voiding leading questions and writing brief
questions will go a long way in ensuring that respondents not only complete the survey, but do so
in a meaningful manner. Long survey questions tend to lead to higher levels of respondents'
abandonment of the survey because of boredom or frustration (Gillham, 2000; Spitzer, 1997).
Informing respondents about the survey's end date is an important pati of any survey and
increases survey response rates (Fine, 2006; Spitzer, 1997). Providing an effective end date
encourages respondents to complete and submit the survey as soon as possible which in turn will
allow the researcher to begin data analysis. The last pOliion of the survey should thank the
respondents for their patiicipation in the survey (Alreck and Settle, 1995).
Analysis of Data
As declared by Fine (2006), the way in which questions are expressed throughout the
survey has a substantial impact on how valid the results are. The survey questions are the
standard to which results are to be measured against, so it is imperative that they are concisely
constructed to obtain the desired infonnation. To ensure that data being collected can be
efficiently analyzed and will positively contribute to the study it is important for the author to be
mindful of the goals of the study when developing survey questions. This is especially true since
a variety of methods are available for survey question design and data analysis.
24
Every survey should remain focused on the topics of concern, ask concise questions in
plain English and utilize the simplest format which will still meet the surveyor's data collection
needs (Alrecl< and Settle, 1995). Well designed surveys are able to ask a variety of questions in
multiple ways while remaining focused on each issue individually. Open-ended questions,
closed-ended question or a combination of the two methods can be used to gather paIiicipants'
responses (Roughton and Whiting, 2000).
Open-ended or "unstructured" questions are questions without a fixed set of answers for
the respondent to choose from. These questions designate the topics to which the researcher
seeks answers, but allow the respondent to develop his/her answers without additional limitations
(Gillham, 2000). According to Roughton and Whiting (2000), open-ended survey questions can
be difficult for the respondents to interpret as the surveyor intended and require the respondents
to have a certain writing ability to complete the survey. Additionally, Roughton and Whiting
state that open-ended questions provide valuable information which can be used to evaluate the
program or training.
Proper data analysis for open-ended question responses can be quite complicated, time
consuming and relatively pricey. A procedure known as "coding" is utilized for analyzing the
survey responses (Gillham, 2000). The researcher must then develop "coding columns" by
numbering, examining and grouping question responses into common themes. The process of
coding columns is very time consuming and labor-intensive.
Open-ended questions tend to be faster and easer to develop than closed-ended questions,
but the opposite is true when it comes to analyzing the data (Gillham, 2000). Open-ended
questions are considerably less time consuming to develop than closed-ended questions but may
present a multitude of issues for the researcher as data analysis is being performed. As stated by
Alreck and Settle (1995) researchers tend to rush during the survey development phase and
worry about coding and editing after data has been collected.
25
Closed-ended or "structured" questions are questions that have a fixed set of answers that
are defined by the survey developer. These questions provide a limited list of choices for the
respondent to choose from. Gillham (2000) stated that "the researcher has already decided on
the possible answers: all he or she wants to find out is which answers are selected" (p. 2).
Providing a list of closed-ended questions readily means that the results will be easy to
standardize and readily lend themselves to statistical analysis.
Biemer, Groves, Lyberg, Mathiowetz and Sudman (2004) stated that closed-ended
questions that are carefully developed typically cause fewer misinterpretation errors for the
respondent than open-ended questions. "It takes considerable time and effort to compose a
closed-ended question; however, if done carefully and thoroughly, it will save time and effort
later and increase the reliability and validity of the data" (Fine, 2006).
Itemized or "Numerical" rating scales are regularly used to measure and rank
respondent's attitudes as they relate to a particular topic. The Likert scale is a specific type of
itemized rating scale which allows the respondent to rank information by using a predetermined
interval scale. Interval scales used to rank information typically range from one through five,
where deviation from the middle of this progressive rating scale represents a stronger level of
agreement or disagreement with the specific question (Saccaro, 1994). A benefit in using this
type of scale for ranking information is that it allows the respondent to express importance of or
agreement with an issue in varying degrees which can be evaluated to identify areas where
improvement is needed. One issue with using an itemized rating scale is that it ranks the
respondent's perceived level of agreement with the information, but does not offer any
alternatives for identified problems (Saccaro, 1994).
Conclusion
26
The purpose of the review of literature was to examine infonnation related to the topics
of OSHA 1 O-Hour Training, trade/craft unions in construction and factors which affect human
learning. The infOlmation gathered from the literature review provided an overview of what
OSHA and tradelcraft unions' role is in protecting the American worker through safety training
and hazard recognition. The literature review also identified several characteristics which may
have an impact on an individual's ability or willingness to learn. Additionally, the literature
review outlined details on how to write an effective survey and methods for analyzing data from
specific sets of questions. The next chapter, Chapter III, includes the methodology in which the
study was conducted.
27
Chapter III: Methodology
Research has shown that individuals who perceive training to be imp0l1ant were more
likely to be motivated to learn and would positively benefit from the training (Tannenbaum,
2002). Training in basic safety concepts and hazard recognition were areas where many people
have benefited. However, there were many internal and external factors that affect an
individual's ability or willingness to learn the information which had been presented in training.
For example, the training may present basic information that experienced workers already
believe they know, so they did not feel as though the training benefited them. The purpose of this
research was to assess current perceptions of the impact OSHA 10-Hour Training has had on
safety among construction craft/trade union laborers in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. This study also
sought to provide a comparison of perceived effectiveness across several trade/craft unions of
OSHA 1 O-Hour Training.
Subject Selection and Description
. To accomplish the objective of this study, a survey was developed to gather information
from the respondents about their perceptions of OSHA lO-Hour Training's effectiveness in
improving on-the-job safety. Respondents volunteering for pat1icipation in this study were
selected from select trade/craft unions in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The following trade/craft unions
were selected as part of a convenience sample: Bricklayers Union (No. 19), Carpenters Union
(Local 1074), General Labors Union (Local 268), IBEW (Local 14) and Plumbers/Steamfitters
Union (Local 434). The gathering of information and an analysis sought to identify ifthere were
significantly similar perceptions both within and between trade/craft unions, as related to OSHA
1 O-Hour Training effectiveness. OSHA 1 O-Hour Training effectiveness was measured in terms
of the respondents' perceived effectiveness in conveying appropriate safety information.
28
The survey instrument was a paper and pencil survey which was developed using topics
from the OSHA 1 O-Hour Training course materials. The survey asked questions about the survey
participants' perception of the effectiveness of OSHA 1 O-Hour Training. The survey was
distributed to 150 prospective trade/craft union laborers, who represent five different unions
throughout Eau Claire, WI, during a two-week period in January. The prospective participants
were asked to complete the survey at their convenience and leave the completed form at their
local union hall with a designated union representative.
The target number of responses to the survey was 60, or 12 responses per craft/trade
unIOn. All surveys distributed were identical in content and design.
Instrumentation
A copy of the survey instrument is in Appendix B. The survey instrument consisted of the
following information:
1. The purpose of this study was to identify current perceptions of OSHA 10-Hour
Training's effectiveness among craft/trade union members in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
2. For the study, the research instrument was comprised of 8 questions.
3. Several of the survey questions that were asked could be answered by a ShOl1 answer,
with a "yes" of "no" or "agree" of "disagree" response, and an area for the respondent
to elaborate on their choice for response in writing.
4. The majority of the survey questions required respondents to simply indicate his/her
response to multiple-choice questions by placing a check mark in the appropriate box.
5. A small but significant pOl1ion of the survey uses rank-order scale to discover
perceived impol1ance of both "required" and "elective" OSHA lO-Hour Training
topics.
29
Data Collection Procedures
The first portion of the survey that was collected included questions which covered the
following demographic information: union information, age, current title and total years of
experience in craft/trade. This information was collected with the intent of grouping respondents
into categories based on applicable demographic information for the purpose of identifying and
recording trends. Demographic information collected will not be analyzed during data analysis to
ensure participant anonymity.
The next portion of the survey includes questions designed to draw out the respondent's
status of OSHA 1 O-Hour Training experience and opinions of how effective OSHA lO-Hour
Training is in improving on-the-job safety.
The last pOltion of the survey included questions which require the respondent to rank
"required" and "elective" OSHA 1 O-Hour Training topics from most impoltant to least
important. Required topics include the following: personal protective and lifesaving equipment,
health hazards in construction, OSHA focus 4 hazards and introduction to OSHA. These are
ranked using a 1-4 scale. Elective topics include the following: scaffolds, excavation, tools,
stairways and ladders, material handling and cranes. These are ranked using a 1-6 scale.
This survey instrument and study was reviewed and approved by the University of
Wisconsin-Stout's Institutional Review Board (lRB). The study meets the ethical obligations
required by federal law and university policies. The respondents' names were not included on
any documents linking information back to them, nor could they be identified from any of the
information presented in the findings. The surveys were completely anonymous and patticipants'
responses were confidential.
30
Data Analysis
In order to address the research goals of this study, relevant descriptive and analytical
statistics were used to analyze the appropriate data. The three main categories of questions asked
in the survey are as follows: short answer questions with a simple yes/no, for/against or
agree/disagree response, short answer combined with additional space for the respondent to
elaborate on their choice and itemizing rating list questions.
With the aim to analyze several of the survey questions that were open-ended, the
questions asked were designed to solicit the respondent's opinion with mirumal interference or
interpretation of a desired outcome from the survey questionnaire. The most frequent responses
would initially be grouped together by trade/craft union and then evaluated against data collected
from all trade/craft unions to determine correlation.
Hard copies of the questionnaire package were individually enclosed in envelopes and
administered to the subjects by the union representative for each union involved in this study.
The subjects were requested to complete all questions and return them to their union
representative. Distribution of the questionnaires was started and completed in January of2010.
Limitations of the Study
Limitations identified by the researcher were:
• The sample size of the participants surveyed is small because only trade/craft laborers
who go to the union hall will have an opportunity to participate in the survey.
• There was no representation of broader population and therefore no generalizations could
be formed beyond this particular setting.
• Previous industry experience related to safety training may impact the participant's
opinion on the need for and effectiveness of OSHA lO-Hour Training.
31
Summary
Chapter III provided an overview of the methods utilized to develop, administer and
record survey results for this study. A combination of multiple-choice, short answer and rank
scale questions were utilized for data collection in this study. Additionally, IRB approval and
participant selection methods were presented. Chapter IV will present data which was collected
from the pencil and paper survey as part of this study.
32
Chapter IV: Results
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this research is to assess current perceptions of the OSHA 10-Hour
Training and effectiveness among construction trade union laborers in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
For the purpose of evaluating the current perceptions of OSHA lO-Hour Training an original
survey was created by the author and was administrated at local union hall meetings within Eau
Claire, Wisconsin.
Goals of the Study
This study sought answers to the following research questions:
1. Did participants who completed OSHA 1 O-Hour Training feel as though their knowledge
of workplace safety increased because of the training?
2. What do trade/craft union workers feel is the most significant in terms of rating required
and elective OSHA 1 O-Hour Training topics?
3. Is the perceived training need the same for each craft/trade patiicipating in this study?
Presentation of Collected Data
For this study of craft/trade union workers, the research instrument was a two-page
survey containing eight questions. The survey to identify perceptions of OSHA 10-Hour
Training effectiveness was sent out to 150 union craft/trade workers from different trades
throughout the Eau Claire, Wisconsin area. Union craft/trade workers were selected from the
following craft/trade unions: Bricklayers Union (No. 19), Carpenters Union (Local 1074),
General Labors Union (Local 268), IBEW (Local 14) and Plumbers/Steamfitters Union (Local
434). The target number of responses to the survey was 60 replies, with 12 responses being from
each craft/trade union. A total of 83 replies were received with varying response rates from each
33
of the five craft/trade unions. Craft/trade union response rates from lowest to highest are as
follows: Carpenters (4), Bricklayers (8), General Laborers (10), IBEW (27),
Plumbers/Steamfitters (30). Some of the completed surveys contained only pOliions of the
information requested or were not completed as the researcher intended, so they were excluded
from data analysis. Approximately twenty surveys were excluded from data analysis due to the
respondents lack of OSHA lO-Hour Training or because the survey was not completed in its
entirety. FOUlieen of the twenty responses were excluded because the participant had not
completed OSHA 10-Hour Training. The remaining six responses were excluded from data
analysis because the ranking section was not completed or were inappropriately completed due
to reusing the same number multiple times. The surveys were distributed on January 5, 2010 and
replies were received through the end of January 2010.
The respondents were asked a simple "yes" of "no" question in this section to determine
if each trade/craft union requires OSHA 10-Hour Training. Of the 63 valid surveys received , at
least 50% of respondents from each groups responded with yes. A complete break down of the
data is located below in Table 1.
Table 1
Does Your Trade/Craft Union Require OSHA lO-Hour Training
Response Bricklayer Carpenter General IBEW Plumber/ Options Labor Steamfitter
Yes 100% (8) 50.0% (2) 57.0% (4) 68.0% (15) 95.5% (21 )
No 0.0% (0) 50.0% (2) 43.0% (3) 32.0% (7) 4.5% (1)
34
Note. Responses to this question may be affected by the survey participant's number of
years in their trade/craft. According to each of the trade/craft union representatives, all new
apprentices are required to become OSHA 1 O-Hour Trained.
This section asked respondent's a simple "for" or "against" question was asked in
combination with a comment section to elicit the pmticipant's opinion about requiring all
construction trade/craft workers to have an OSHA 1 O-Hour Training card.
Table 2
Are You For or Against Requiring OSHA lO-Hour Training
Response Bricklayer Carpenter General IBEW Plumber/ Total Options Labor Steamfitter
For 100% (8) 75% (3) 71% (5) 100% (22) 100% (22) 95% (60)
Against 0% (0) 25% (1) 29% (2) 0% (0) 0% (0) 5% (3)
As can be seen above in Table 2, an overwhelming majority (95%) of participant's
responded by stating that they were "for" all construction trade/craft workers having OSHA 10-
Hour Training cards. Further analysis of the data from Table 2 revealed, that the three (5%)
against OSHA 1 O-Hour Training cards come from the Carpenter and General Laborer unions and
comprise approximately 25% of the responses received from each of their respective unions.
Supporting comments associated with Table 2 are located in Appendix C.
In this section respondents were asked to indicate their completion status of OSHA 10-
Hour Training by marking one of the following responses: "yes," "in-progress," "no," or "no, but
I intend to." The following data is a representation of participants who had completed OSHA 1 0-
Hour Training and those who had not completed OSHA 1 O-Hour Training at the time this study
35
was conducted. The intent of this section was to screen out respondents who had not completed
OSHA lO-Hour Training.
Table 3
Are You OSHA 10-Hour Trained
Response Bricklayer Carpenter General IBEW Plumber/ Total # Options Labor Steamfitter Surveys
Yes 83% (10) 100% (4) 80% (8) 81% (22) 83% (25) 83% (69)
In-Progress 0% (0) 0% (0) 0% (0) 0% (0) 0% (0) 0
No 17% (2) 0% (0) 20% (2) 15% (4) 7% (2) 12%(10)
No, but plan to 0% (0) 0% (0) 0% (0) 4% (1) 10% (3) 5% (4)
Data from Table 3 indicates that 14 (17%) of the surveys received were completed by
trade/craft workers who had not completed OSHA 1 O-Hour Training, so they were excluded
from further data analysis. Of the remaining 69 (83%) completed surveys, another 6 (7%) would
be excluded from data analysis as explained in the required and elective OSHA lO-Hour
Training topics sections.
The next section gathered information about the time of training. The intent of this
section was to gather further information about the trade/craft workers, as related to OSHA 10-
Hour Training, by asking them how long ago they were OSHA 1 O-Hour trained.
Table 4
How Long Ago Were You OSHA 10-Hour Trained
Response Bricklayer Carpenter General IBEW Plumber! Total Options Labor Steamfitter
< 1 Year 0% (0) 25% (1) 14% (1) 9% (2) 27% (6) 16% (10)
36
2-3 Years 12% (1) 50% (2) 29% (2) 64% (14) 64% (14) 52% (33)
4-5 Years 0% (0) 25% (1) 57% (4) 14% (3) 4.5% (1) 14% (9)
6 + Years 88% (7) 0% (0) 0% (0) 14%(3) 4.5%(1) 17%(11)
Table 4 illustrates that a majority of trade/craft workers participating in this study fall into
the category of being trained 2-3 years ago or less. According to the data from Table 4, just over
half(57%) of their general laborers were trained 4-5 years ago. The data collected from Table 4
also identified that 7 out of 8 (88%) Bricklayer union respondent's indicated that it had been six
years or more since their last OSHA 1 O-Hour training.
The next section asked the respondent to simply state whether they "agree" or "disagree"
that OSHA lO-Hour Training has increased their knowledge of workplace safety. The intention
of this question was not to gain great insight but was stated as such to make the respondent
choose from one of two options for ease of classification.
Table 5
OSHA lO-Hour Training has Increased My Knowledge of Workplace Safety
Response Bricklayer Carpenter General IBEW Plumber! Options Labor Steamfitter
Agree 100% (8) 75% (3) 71 % (5) 100% (22) 86% (19)
Disagree 0% (0) 25% (1) 29% (2) 0% (0) 14% (3)
Data collected from Table 5 states that most respondents agreed that the OSHA lO-Hour
Training increased their knowledge of workplace safety. More notably, one of four (25%) of
Carpenters and two of five (29%) of General Laborers disagree with the effectiveness of OSHA
lO-Hour Training, as related to increasing their knowledge of workplace safety.
37
The next section sought to determine the participants perceived level of on-the-job safety.
A simple "yes" of "no" question was asked in combination with a comment section to elicit the
participant's opinion of whether or not they would feel safer on-the-job if all co-workers were
OSHA 1 a-Hour Trained.
Table 6
Would You Feel Safer On-the-job if All Your Co-workers Were OSHA lO-Hour Trained
Response Bricklayer Carpenter General IBEW Plumber! Total Options Labor Steamfitter
Yes 87.5% (7) 75% (3) 71% (5) 100% (22) 82% (18) 87% (55)
No 12.5% (1) 25% (1) 29% (2) 0% (0) 18% (4) 13% (8)
As was identified in Table 6, one of four (25%) of Carpenters and two of five (29%) of
General Laborers would not feel safer on the job if all their co-workers were OSHA la-Hour
Trained. This is in sharp contrast to the vast majority of respondent's from each of the trade/craft
unions who would feel safer on the job if all co-workers were OSHA la-Hour Trained.
Supporting comments associated with Table 6 are located in Appendix D.
The next section sought to identify the importance of training topics which are required
as part of OSHA la-Hour Training. An itemized rating list was used for this section with the
intent of determining which required topics are perceived to be most important to trade/craft
workers. The respondents were asked to rate the importance of required topics for OSHA 10-
Hour Training based on the needs of their individual trade/craft. The following are required
topics being rated for imp0l1ance: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Health Hazards, Focus
4 Hazards in Construction, and Introduction to OSHA. The required topics were separated into
38
the following categories based on their perceived level of impOliance: most important,
moderately impOliant, of little importance and least important (see Appendix E for raw data).
80
70
60 ~
~ 50 o Bricklayer -s:: 40 CIl • Carpenter u ... 30 - I--CIl o General Labor a.. 20 I--
OIBEW 10 c- o ilT I • Plumber/Steamfitter 0
PPE Health Focus 4 Intro to Hazards Hazards OSHA
Training Topics
Figure 1. Required topics ranking: Most important
The results depicted in Figure 1 embody the respondents' beliefs that the required OSHA
la-Hour Training topics listed below are ranked as the most important to their trade/craft. One of
the most notable findings from Figure 1 is that all trade/craft unions except the Bricklayers had
40% or more of the respondents state that focus 4 hazards in construction is the most impOliant
required topic for OSHA la-Hour Training.
60
50
~ 40 r----- o Bricklayer s:: 30 r--- c--CIl • Carpenter I::! CIl 20 I-- '--- o General Labor a..
10 i I-- 11- - OIBEW
r • • Plumber/Steamfitter 0
PPE Health Focus 4 Intro to Hazards Hazards OSHA
Training Topics
Figure 2. Required topics ranking: Moderately important
39
The results depicted in Figure 2 signify the respondents' beliefs that the required OSHA
1 a-Hour Training topics listed below are ranked as moderately important to their trade/craft. This
section revealed that 30-50% of all respondents identified that personal protective equipment
(PPE) is a moderately impoliant required topic for OSHA 1 a-Hour Training. This section also
reveled that 57% of General Laborers felt as though health hazards are moderately impOliant to
their trade/craft. This is in sharp contrast to the remaining trade/craft unions, where responses
ranged from 12.5-25%.
80 70
60 ~
C 50 -s::: 40 Q) r-- -u ... 30 Q) I-- - r-0..
20 I-- f-- f-
10 0 I[ l- f- f1=;-
PPE Health Focus 4 Intra to Hazards Hazards OSHA
Training Topics
Figure 3. Required topics ranking: Of little importance
o Bricklayer
• Carpenter
o General Labor
olBEW
• Plumber/Steamfitter
The results illustrated in Figure 3 signify the respondents' beliefs that the required OSHA
1 a-Hour Training topics listed below are ranked as being oflittle impoliance to their trade/craft.
With exception of the General Laborers (14%), the majority of respondents (50-75%) identified
the health hazards portion of the required OSHA 1 a-Hour Training topics as being of little
importance to their trade/craft.
100
r-
75 ~ ~
I
-c: 50 <II U ... <II a..
25
0 • n n ~ PPE Health Focus 4 Intro to
Hazards Hazards OSHA
Training Topics
Figure 4. Required topics ranking: Least important
o Bricklayer
• Carpenter
o General Labor
OIBEW
• Plumber/Steamfitter
40
The results presented in Figure 4 depict the respondents' beliefs that the required OSHA
1 O-Hour Training topics listed below are ranked as least important to their trade/craft. The most
notable findings from Figure 4 is that 50-100% of respondents identified that the introduction to
OSHA portion of required OSHA 10-Hour Training topics was the least impOliant to their
trade/craft when compared to the other required training topics.
The next section sought to identify the impOliance of OSHA lQ-Hour Training topics
which are designated as electives. An itemized rating list was used for this section with the intent
of determining which elective topics are perceived to be most important to trade/craft workers.
The respondents were asked to rate the impOliance of required topics for OSHA 10-Hour
Training based on the needs of their individual trade/craft. The following are elective topics
being rated for importance: scaffolds, excavation, hand and power tools, stairs and ladders,
material handling, cranes and delTicks, including hoists, elevators and conveyors.
The required topics were separated into the following categories based on their perceived
level of importance: most important, important, moderately important, of little importance,
unimportant and least important (see Appendix F for raw data).
50
~40 1: 30 Q)
~ 20 Q)
D.. 10
o -tr -
f - - • r
• I II
Training Topics
Figure 5, Elective topicS ranking: Most important
o Bricklayer
• Carpenter
o General Labor
DIBEW
• PlulTOerlSteamfitter
41
Figure 5 clearly depicts that different elective training categories were identified as being
most impOliant to each of the trade/craft unions represented in this study. Figure 5 revealed that
50% of Bricklayers identify the scaffolding portion of elective OSHA la-Hour Training topics
was the most important, while the Carpenters and General Laborers recorded a zero in this
category. Conversely, 50% of Carpenters identified cranes and derricks as being most important
to their trade/craft, whereas 9-29% of respondents from the other trade/craft unions felt as though
crane and derrick training was most important.
40 -
~ 30 -~ .. s::: CI) 20 I:! CI)
~ • llilflt a.. 10
rI 0 [ o Bricklayer
0":> ' 0<::0 ~":> ~":> .~O; *":> • Carpenter
'!:::-(f ~ ~oo 0° ~" ·v o General Labor ~ ~~~ 0cJ> c'l' ~o ,:l ~~ <::)o olBEW «f ~~ .~":>' .~ 0'
~ ~" ~ 0'~ ~ v~~ • Plumber/Steamfitter
~~
Training Topics
Figure 6. Elective topics ranking: Important
42
The results presented in Figure 6 illustrate the respondents' beliefs that the required
OSHA 1 O-Hour Training topics listed above are ranked as being important to their trade/craft.
The most notable finding from Figure 6 is that the scaffolding portion of elective OSHA 10-Hour
Training topics is again identified as an important training, where 43% of Carpenters and 36% of
the IBEW respondents affirmed that this topic is important to their trade/craft.
40
~ 30 ~ -c:: Q)
~ Q)
c.
20
10
o I -
~ - -
~ --o Bricklayer
• Carpenter
o General Labor
DIBEW
• Plumber/Steamfitter
Figure 7. Elective topics ranking: Moderately important
Figure 7 identified that the stairways and ladders portion of elective OSHA 10-Hour
Training topics was viewed as being moderately important by a majority of the trade/craft union
respondents. Contrary to the majority's responses of25-37.5%, only 13.5% respondents from the
IBEW signified that stairway and ladder training was moderately important to their trade/craft.
30 25
~ e.... 20 ... r::: 15 r---:: -Q) (.)
10 .. Q) 0- 5
0
- r--t-
-
-
Training Topics
-
=--
o Bricklayer
• Carpenter
o General Labor
DIBEW
• Plumber/Steamfitter
Figure 8. Elective topics ranking: Of little importance
43
Figure 8 shows that excavation and material handling were equally identified as being of
little importance as elective OSHA lO-Hour Training topics for 29% of General Laborers and
25% of Carpenters.
50 ~
40 ~ e.... +' 30 r::: Q) (.) .. 20 Q)
0-10
0
Training Topics
Figure 9. Elective topics ranking: Unimportant
o Bricklayer
• Carpenter
o General Labor
DIBEW
• Plumber/Steamfitter
Figure 9 illustrates that the hand and power tool pOliion of OSHA 10-Hour Training is
primarily viewed as being unimportant when compared to other elective training topics. The
strongest proponents for ranking hand and power tool training as unimportant come from the
following unions: Bricklayers (50%), General Laborers (43%) and Carpenters (25%). The next
topic oflesser importance according to respondents' is excavation, with support from the
following unions: Plumbers/Steamfitters (32%), Bricklayers (25%) and Carpenter (25%).
~
~ e.... ... c: Q) 0 '-Q)
a..
60 50 40 30 20 10 0
Training Topics
D Bricklayer
• Carpenter
D General Labor
DIBEW
• Plumber/Steamfitter
Figure 10. Elective topics ranking: Least important
44
The results presented in Figure 10 illustrate the respondents' beliefs that the elective
OSHA 10-Hour Training topics listed above are ranked as being least important to their
trade/craft. The most notable findings from Figure 10 are the two outliers, which are respectively
located in the scaffolding and material handling results.
Only 0-14% of the other trade/craft union respondents identified scaffolding training to
be least important, whereas 50% of the Carpenters view scaffolding training to be the least
impOliant. In other words, there is a 36% difference between the normal responses and the high
response by one group overall.
The other outlier identified in Figure 10 shows that more respondents' acknowledged that
material handling is least impoliant to their trade/craft than any other training topic. The
response range from the Carpenters, General Laborers, IBEW and Plumbers/Steamfitters for
material handling being least impoliant is between 23-32%, whereas 62.5% of the Bricklayers
reported that material handling training is least impOliant to their trade/craft when compared to
other training topics.
Next, this section will identify methods for improving OSHA 1 O-Hour Training. This
portion of the survey tool was developed with the intention of suggesting a limited number of
45
potential responses for the participant to choose from so the results could be easily combined for
tabulation. The paliicipants were asked to indicate which method or methods they felt would
improve the effectiveness of OSHA 1 O-Hour Training in improving workplace safety. A choice
marked "other" was also incorporated into this question so that respondents could state ideas
which may improve the overall effectiveness of OSHA 1 O-Hour Training. Responses from the
category marked as other and raw data can be found in Appendix G.
o More Trade Specific Materials
oBi-annual Recertification
o No Recertification
o Other
Figure 11. Methods for improving OSHA 10-Hour Training
Figure 11 results were established by combining data from all of the groups to determine
what the majority oftrade/craft workers thought would help to improve the overall effectiveness
of OSHA 10-Hour Training. The following detenuinations were made from the 67 responses
received in this section:
More trade specific training materials 31 (46%)
Bi-annual recertification requirement 17 (25%)
No recertification requirement 9 (13%)
Other 10 (15%)
46
Chapter V: Conclusions and Recommendations
OSHA 1 O-Hour Training is becoming more popular and in some cases it is required as a
prerequisite for trade/craft workers to attain employment. With the increased popularity of this
training among construction trades and crafts it is important to evaluate the perceived impact
OSHA 1 O-Hour Training is having in relation to workplace safety. It is also important to evaluate
the training needs of each construction trade/craft to determine if OSHA 1 O-Hour Training
courses are adequately preparing trade/craft workers to identify and avoid unsafe work practices.
To evaluate the perceived effectiveness of OSHA 1 O-Hour Training data in this study was
obtained by distributing 150 surveys to five different trade/craft unions in the Eau Claire, WI
area. Thilty surveys were distributed in January 2010 to each of the following trade/craft unions:
Bricklayers Union (No. 19), Carpenters Union (Local 1074), General Laborers Union (Local
268), IBEW (Local 14) and Plumbers/Steamfitters Union (Local 434). The completed surveys
were collected from each of the palticipating trade/craft unions after being in distribution for two
weeks so data analysis could be conducted in a reasonable timeframe.
Conclusions
OSHA lO-Hour Training is generally required for all new employees of each of the
trade/craft unions mentioned in this study. This growing trend may be in response to specific
jobs requiring all tradelcraft workers to be OSHA 1 O-Hour trained prior to being allowed onsite.
SuppOlting evidence located in Table 2 revealed that 95% of trade/craft workers surveyed
believe that all trade/craft workers should be OSHA lO-Hour trained. Further supporting
evidence was identified in Table 5 by 90.5% of respondents who agreed that OSHA 10-Hour
Training has increased their knowledge of on-the-job safety. Respondents of this study embraced
the ideology that on-the-job safety can be enhanced through training, such as OSHA 10-Hour
47
Training. Moreover, the results from Table 1 would suggest that there is a growing trend within
each of the trade/craft unions participating in this study to require their union members to
become OSHA 10-Hour trained.
Several participants noted their desire for trade/craft unions to implement a bi-annual
recertification requirement for maintaining OSHA lO-Hour Training cards. The desire for bi
annual OSHA lO-Hour retraining coincides with the findings of this study. Over halfofthe
participating trade/craft workers from the Carpenters, IBEW and Plumbers/Steamfitters unions
were OSHA 1 O-Hour trained approximately 2-3 years ago. (See Table 4 in Chapter IV for raw
data.)
Finally, the conclusions of Chapter V are in agreement with characteristics influencing
learning and transfer of training which were identified in Chapter II. The following factors were
some of the identified areas which affect an individual's ability and willingness to learn and
retain new information:
• Respondents identified their desire or motivation to improve their safety knowledge
through OSHA 1 O-Hour Training and identified their need for refresher training to
reemphasize the important aspects of the safety training.
• A majority of respondents believed that all trade/craft workers should be OSHA 10-
Hour Trained.
• Age did not significantly impact the respondents' beliefs that OSHA 10-Hour
Training is viewed as impOliant for increasing on-the-job safety.
48
Recommendations
The data indicates that a majority of participants in this study felt as though some of the
OSHA 1 O-Hour Training topics were more important than others for their trade/craft. To ensure
that trade/craft workers participating in OSHA 10-Hour Training are getting the most out of the
course, it is recommended that the following courses of action be taken on behalf ofthe
trade/craft unions.
1. The pmiicipants' desire to learn and ability to retain training information should be dealt
with by including trade specific materials which accurately address CUlTent industry
related trends and safety concerns.
2. After that, trade/craft unions should enroll their members in OSHA 1 O-Hour Training
courses that are taught by an instructor who has specific knowledge of their trade/craft.
3. OSHA 1 O-Hour Training courses should be conducted at no additional cost to trade/craft
union members.
4. OSHA 1 O-Hour Training should be incorporated into their regular work schedule, so they
are able to attend without missing time from work.
5. Trade/craft unions should require OSHA lO-Hour cardholders to maintain their lO-Hour
training cards by attending bi-annual refresher courses.
In addition to the previous recommendations, it would be in the trade/craft unions best
interest to evaluate the OSHA lO-Hour trainers' course content and materials prior to sending
their members to a OSHA lO-Hour Training course to determine if their union members' safety
training needs will be met.
49
Suggestions for Further Research
• Develop a different survey tool to compare the perceived effectiveness of OSHA 10-
Hour Training as related to on-the-job safety. The current survey tool presented
several variables which could not easily be compared to one another because there
were five different trade/craft unions used for this study.
• Choose one trade/craft and compare the perceived effectiveness of OSHA 10-Hour
Training results from those who have been OSHA 1 O-Hour trained against those who
have not.
• Distribute the survey tool to union and non-union trade/craft workers to detelmine
whether or not union status has an impact on the perceived impOliance of OSHA 10-
Hour Training.
• Evaluate cun-ently available OSHA to-Hour Training courses to determine if they
would meet the training needs of a particular trade/craft or if a more specific OSHA
to-Hour Training course needs to be developed to address current safety training
needs.
• Evaluate several OSHA 1 O-Hour Training courses to determine if differences in
training content and/or the amount of time per section have an impact on the trainings
effectiveness.
50
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S&p_id=17936
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Management of Training: Designing and delivering cost-effective training (pp. 353).
Appendix A: Human Research Subject Consent Form
Title: Perceptions of OSHA 1 O-Hour Trainings: Effectiveness within
Investigator: Adam R. Fechhelm 4637 Kappus Drive Eau Claire, WI 54701 (715) 523-1442
Description:
Eau Claire, Wisconsin Trade Unions
Research Sponsor: Bryan R. Beamer University of Wisconsin-Stout P.O. Box 790 Menomonie, WI 54751 (715) 232-5178
53
The objective of this research is to identify what trade and craft union laborers views are about the effectiveness of OSHA 1 O-Hour Trainings as related to on-the-job safety. This research is intended to be a starting point in identifying areas where OSHA lO-Hour Trainings can be improved to maximize retention of learned materials.
Risks and Benefits: There are no risks to the subjects for participating in this voluntary survey. The information gathered from this survey is primarily opinion based and there are no correct or incorrect answers for the survey.
Results from this survey will be utilized to gain a futther understanding of the perceived effective of OSHA 1 O-Hour safety trainings among union tradesmen and craftsmen in the Eau Claire, WI area. The data collected may also provide information about what union tradesmen and craftsmen in the Eau Claire, WI area think was beneficial about the training and/or what areas could lise some improvement.
Time Commitment: Your time commitment for participation in this study will be approximately 15 minutes.
Confidentiality: Your name will not be included on any documents. I know that you can not be identified from any of this information. This informed consent will not be kept with any of the other documents completed with this project.
Right to Withdraw: Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. You may choose not to paJticipate without any adverse consequences to you. Should you choose to participate and later wish to withdraw from the study, you may discontinue your participation at this time without incurring adverse consequences.
54
IRB Approval: This study has been reviewed and approved by The University of Wisconsin-Stout's Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB has determined that this study meets the ethical obligations required by federal law and University policies. If you have questions or concerns regarding this study please contact the Investigator or Advisor. If you have any questions, concerns, or reports regarding your rights as a research subject, please contact the IRB Administrator.
Investigator: Adam R. Fechhelm 4637 Kappus Drive Eau Claire, WI 54701 (715) 523-1442
Research Sponsor: Bryan R. Beamer University of Wisconsin-Stout P.O. Box 790 Menomonie, WI 54751 (715) 232-5178
Statement of Consent:
IRB Administrator: Sue Foxwell, Director, Research Services 152 Vocational Rehabilitation Bldg University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, WI 54751 (715) 232-2477 [email protected]
By completing the following survey you agree to pmticipate in the project entitled, Perceptions of OSHA 1 O-Hour Trainings: Effectiveness within Eau Claire, Wisconsin Trade Unions.
Appendix B: Survey Instrument
II This research has been approved by the UW-Stout IRB as required by the Code of I II Federal Regulations Title 45 Part 46. j
Participant Information: (Please Check Your Response for the Following Section)
Union Information:
__ Bricklayers #19 __ Carpenters #1074 General Laborers #268
IBEW #14
Age in Years:
18-20
Current Title:
Plumbers/Steamfitters #434
21-25 26-30 31-40 41-50
__ Apprentice __ Journeymen __ Supervisor/Foreman
Total Years of Experience in Trade/Craft:
0-5 6-12 13-19 20-24 25 +
Survey Questions: (Please Mark Your A nswers for the Follo'wing Questions)
1) Does your trade union require OSHA lO-Hour safety training?
DYes
D No
51+
Other:
55
2) Are you for or against all construction and trade workers having lO-Hour cards? Why or why not?
D For
D Against
Comments:
3) Are you OSHA 1 O-Hour trained? If No, skip to Question # 6
DYes
DIn-progress
D No - (Please go to question # 6)
D No, but I plan to - (Please go to question # 6)
4) How long ago were you OSHA lO-Hour trained?
D Less than 1 year
D 2-3 years
D 4-5 years
D More than 6 years
5) OSHA lO-Hour training has increased my knowledge of workplace safety.
D Agree
D Disagree 6) Would you feel safer on-the-job if all your co-workers were OSHA 1 O-Hour trained?
DYes
D No
Comments:
56
7) To complete this pOliion, please - 1. Read each item first. 2. Then, rank each item based on which topic you feel is most impoliant or least impoliant to include in OSHA lO-Hour safety training.
The topics listed in sections 7a and 7b are "Required" or "Elective" topics covered/discussed within Construction based OSHA 1 O-Hour Trainings:
a) Required topics - (Please, Rank From 1 "Most Important" to 4 "Least Important").
_ Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment
_ Health Hazards in Construction (e.g., Hazard Communication, Noise and Silica)
_ OSHA Focus 4 Hazards (Fall Protection, Electrical, Struck By, Caught In/Between)
_ Introduction to OSHA (OSH Act, Inspections, Competent Person, Contact information)
57
b) Elective topics - (Please, Rank From 1 "Most Important" to 6 "Least Important ").
Scaffolds
Excavations
Tools - Hand / Power
_ Stairways and Ladders
_ Materials Handling, Storage, Use and Disposal
_ Cranes, Derricks, Hoists, Elevators and Conveyors
8) How can OSHA 1 O-Hour training be improved or what topics should be included? (Mark all that apply)
D More trade specific materials
D Receliification bi-annually
D No recertification requirement
D Other: ------------------
Please Add Any Additional Comments in Space Below: (include question # if needed)
58
Appendix C: For or Against Construction Trade/Craft Workers Having lO-Hour Cards
1. For, It's important for everyone on the job to know what a safe and healthy jobsite should
look like
2. For, All trades should have a general knowledge of safety
3. Against, Against all regulation of safety training
4. For, I think its good info to know. Like to think it makes me a safer worker
5. For, It makes for a better and safer work environment
6. For, It's something you should know and be aware of to be on a job
7. For, It's for everyone' s benefit to know the Do's and Don'ts of the job
8. For, It sets us apal1 from many of the non union competitors
9. For, To ensure proper working restrictions and requirements
10. For, Most companies already discuss parts of the 1 O-lu· class during annual meetings.
11. For, More safety training is better for everyone on the job.
12. For, A safer job site
13. Against, Employee should have the choice of becoming 10-hr certified
14. For, Safety is the number one concern
15. For, More safety training means that you'll work safer on the job
16. For, To get everybody familiar with OSHA regulations
17. For, Promotes safety on the job
18. For, It promotes safety
19. For, It can only increase personal safety
20. For, It's imp011ant that all trades have the same safety training, so everyone is following the
same set of regulations
59
21. For, Learn basic safety
22. For, Makes for a safer jobsite
23. For, So everyone is on the same page
24. For, But nobody ever asks to see it on the job
25. For, Safety training is a very important part of reducing unsafe work practices.
26. For, I want everyone on-site to be safety conscious while working
27. For, Safer work environment
28. For, It will not fully prepare someone but it presents the basics and is a good base so people
are aware of safety.
29. For, It would make the worksite safer
30. For, It would improve the safety for everyone on-site
31. For, It makes jobsites safer
60
Appendix D: Would You Feel Safer if All Workers Were OSHA lO-Hour Trained
1. Yes, If everyone was trained
2. Yes, It would be beneficial if all trades were required to be 1 O-hr trained
3. Yes, Everyone would know what's expected of them
4. No, People still don't think
5. Yes, Then everyone is at least on the same page. Some safety training is good, more is better.
6. Yes, because the knowledge of how equipment works and the reason of its purpose
7. Yes, There should be safety rules so everyone is on the same page.
8. Everyone would be more aware of their surroundings, therefore the job would be safer
9. Yes, to better ensure proper safety and working conditions
10. Yes, It makes you think about safety a little
11. Yes, I would feel safer if everyone was trained better
12. No, On-the-job training and working together makes a difference in site safety.
13. Yes, They would know most of the hazards in trenches
14. Yes, Hopefully they also abide by the OSHA regulations
15. Yes, Training should make others more aware of what's happening and going on around the
jobsite
16. Yes, Everybody would be aware of certain hazardous conditions on job
17. Yes, Training helps
18. Yes, More familiar with hazards involved withjobsite
19. Yes, Rules would be followed
20. Yes, Everyone can use this knowledge to be safer on the job
21. No, Unsafe people are unsafe no matter how many hours of safety classes they sit through
22. Yes, It is good to know the rights and wrongs
23. Yes, The training makes you aware of more dangers than most would think about
24. Yes, In many instances unsafe work practices can injure workers in the area
25 . Yes, Knowledge of your sUlToundings is safer for everyone
61
26. Yes, Common sense seems to be lacking these days and that is where a lot of safety begins
27. Yes, More awareness of people and dangers around work environment
28. Yes, Unfortunately, if someone is not a safe person no class or training will ever change that.
29. Yes, That way everyone knows what hazards to lookout for.
30. Yes, They have studied the safety requirements, so the job site will be safer because they will
make less safety related mistakes.
62
Appendix E: Required lO-Hour Training Topics
Question 7a. Rank the importance of required lO-Hour Training topics from 1 "Most Important" to 4 "Least Important"
PPE Bricklayers Carpenters General IBEW Plumber! Labor Steamfitter
1 50% (4) 25% (1) 14% (1) 36% (8) 27% (6) 2 37.5% (3) 50% (2) 43% (3) 32% (7) 50% (11) 3 12.5% (1) 25% (1) 43% (3) 27% (6) 14% (3) 4 0% (0) 0% (0) 0% (0) 4.5% (1) 9% (2)
Health Bricklayers Carpenters General IBEW Plumber/ Hazards Labor Steamfitter
1 37.5% (3) 0% (0) 0% (0) 0% (0) 23% (5) 2 12.5% (1) 25% (1) 57% (4) 23% (5) 18% (4) 3 50% (4) 75% (3) 14% (1) 54.5% (12) 59% (13) 4 0% (0) 0% (0) 29% (2) 23% (5) 0% (0)
Focus 4 Bricklayers Carpenters General IBEW Plumber/ Hazards Labor Steamfitter
1 12.5% (1) 75% (3) 71 % (5) 54.5% (12) 41 % (9) 2 37.5% (3) 25% (1) 0% (0) 9% (2) 27% (6) 3 37.5% (3) 0% (0) 29% (2) 14% (3) 23% (5) 4 12.5%(1) 0% (0) 0% (0) 23% (5) 9% (2)
Intro to Bricklayers Carpenters General IBEW Plumber/ OSHA Labor Steamfitter
1 0% (0) 0% (0) 14% (1) 9% (2) 9% (2) 2 12.5% (1) 0% (0) 0% (0) 36% (8) 4.5% (1) 3 0% (0) 0% (0) 14% (1) 4.5% (1) 4.5% (1) 4 87.5% (7) 100% (4) 71 % (5) 50% (11) 82% (18)
63
Appendix F: Elective to-Hour Training Topics
Question 7b. Rank the importance of elective 1 O-Hour Training topics from 1 "Most Important" to 6 "Least Important"
Scaffolds Bricklayers Carpenters General IBEW Plumber/ Labor Steamfitter
1 50% (4) 0% (0) 0% (0) 9% (2) 18% (4) 2 25% (2) 25% (1) 43% (3) 36% (8) 18% (4) 3 12.5% (1) 25% (1) 14%(1) 23% (5) 27% (6) 4 12.5%(1) 0% (0) 14% (1) 18% (4) 18% (4) 5 0% (0) 0% (0) 14% (1) 9% (2) 9% (2) 6 0% (0) 50% (2) 14% (1) 4.5% (1) 9% (2)
Excavation Bricklayers Carpenters General IBEW Plumber/ Labor Steamfitter
1 12.5% (1) 25% (1) 43% (3) 32% (7) 4.5% (1) 2 12.5%(1) 25% (1) 0% (0) 4.5% (1) 18% (4) 3 25% (2) 0% (0) 14% (1) 13.5% (3) 13.5% (3) 4 12.5% (1) 25% (1) 29% (2) 18% (4) 13.5%(3) 5 25% (2) 25% (1) 14%(1) 18% (4) 32% (7) 6 12.5% (1) 0% (0) 0% (0) 13.5% (3) 13.5% (3)
Hand Tools Bricklayers Carpenters General IBEW Plum b er/ Labor Steamfitter
1 25% (2) 0% (0) 29% (2) 18% (4) 36% (8) 2 0% (0) 25% (1) 0% (0) 4.5% (1) 13.5% (3) 3 12.5% (1) 25% (1) 0% (0) 18% (4) 0% (0) 4 12.5% (1) 0% (0) 0% (0) 23% (5) 23% (5) 5 50% (4) 25% (1) 43% (3) 13.5%(3) 13.5%(3) 6 0% (0) 25% (1) 29% (2) 23% (5) 13.5% (3)
Stairs, Bricklayers Carpenters General IBEW Plumber/ Ladders Labor Steamfitter
1 0% (0) 25% (1) 0% (0) 32% (7) 9% (2) 2 25% (2) 25% (1) 14%(1) 13.5%(3) 4.5% (1) 3 37.5% (3) 25% (1) 29% (2) 13.5% (3) 32% (7) 4 25% (2) 25% (1) 14%(1) 13.5%(3) 13.5% (3) 5 12.5% (1) 0% (0) 29% (2) 13.5% (3) 27% (6) 6 0% (0) 0% (0) 14% (1) 13.5% (3) 13.5% (3)
Material Bricklayers Carpenters General IBEW Plumber/ Handling_ Labor Steamfitter
1 0% (0) 0% (0) 0% (0) 0% (0) 13.5% (3)
64
2 12.5%(1) 0% (0) 14% (1) 9% (2) 13.5% (3) 3 0% (0) 25% (1) 29% (2) 18%(4) 18% (4) 4 12.5% (1) 25% (1) 29% (2) 18% (4) 18% (4) 5 12.5% (1) 25% (1) 0% (0) 23% (5) 13.5% (3) 6 62.5 (5) 25% (1) 29% (2) 32% (7) 23% (5)
Crane, Bricklayers Cmpenters General IBEW Plumber! Derricks Labor Steamfitter
1 12.5%(1) 50% (2) 29% (2) 9% (2) 18% (4) 2 25% (2) 0% (0) 29% (2) 32% (7) 32% (7) 3 12.5% (1) 0% (0) 14% (1) 13.5% (3) 9% (2) 4 25% (2) 25% (1) 14%(1) 9% (2) 13.5%(3) 5 0% (0) 25% (1) 0% (0) 23% (5) 4.5 (1) 6 25% (2) 0% (0) 14% (1) 13.5% (3) 23% (5)
65
Appendix G: Additional Comments for Improving OSHA to-Hour Training
1. OSHA should send trade specific brochures or booklets yearly to refresh everyone
2. It is often very difficult to attend any classes for recertification because working out of town
limits the ability of laborers for attending and employers usually don't compensate for the
time lost when employees attend class (training).
3. OSHA 1 O-hr Training should be paid by time by the employer
4. No recertification, Tradesmen can learn a lot about safety onsite if they are willing to pay
attention.
5. Better Instructors
6. Employers should have a meeting upon hire and/or annually to inform employees about the
most impOliant OSHA topics that occur for their trade. Recertification every five years would
also help employees to remain up-to-date with current safety requirements.
7. Employees would benefit from annual refreshers related to trade specific dangers and safety
topics
8. Receliification of OSHA 10-hr training every 5 years would be beneficial
9. Online recertification for 1 O-hr training
10. 1 O-hr training is required for all govemment work projects> $ 500.000.
11. OSHA 1 O-hr training could be improved if there was an enforcement aspect for non
compliance
12. I've been onjobs where safety is forsaken because of the cost. The current economic situation
has made workers reluctant to repOli severe violations because they need to continue
working.
66
13. It's a good training to keep updated on, but would be more enjoyable if the presentation was
lightened up to make it less boring.
14. Make the training more interesting
15. The presentation of the lO-hour training class needs to be improved so people pay attention
and learn . More hands on instruction instead of watching a video of someone reading a book
about safety.
Question 8. How can to-Hour Training be improved Bricklayer Carpenter General IBEW Plumber! Total
Labor Steamfitter Trade Specific 50% (5) 60% (3) 16.6% 20% (4) 69% (18) 46% (31)
(1) Bi-annual 20% (2) 20% (1) 0 60% (12) 7.7% (2) 25% (17) Recertification No Recertification 20% (2) 0% (0) 16.6% 10% (2) 15% (4) 13% (9)
(1) Other 10% (1) 20% (1) 66.6% 10% (2) 7.7% (2) 15% (10)
(4)