Summary Statement
This presentation is based on the report on Green and Healthy jobs by Helen Chen.
2010
Presentation by Don Ellenberger, CPWR
Based on a report by Helen Chen, J.D., M.S., Labor
Occupational Health Program, University of California at Berkeley - 2010
CPWR – The Center for Construction Research & Training
- Non-Profit funded by:
- – NIOSH
– DOE
– NIEHS
- Leader in applied research, training and service to the Construction Industry.
“Green” Construction
- An opportunity to mitigate climate change*
- A threat in terms of risks to workers*
- Looking for opportunities to elevate worker health and safety as a priority in the green building sector! ! ! !
Different Definitions of Green Jobs:
- Preserve & enhance environmental quality
- Be economically sustainable (living wage)
- Promote the health and safety of workers
- Doesn’t compromise the health and safety of surrounding communities
Green = Sustainable ?
- If a worker dies on a green job, is it sustainable?
- LEED jobs favor environmental issues over occupational safety and health
- No statistical difference between green and non-green projects in terms of construction worker safety and health.
- Green jobs ≈ safe jobs
Classifying and categorizing green jobs (construction and non-construction)
- Renewable energy generation
- Transportation
- Energy efficiency
- Water conservation
- Green construction
- Energy Trading
- Environmental protection
- Recycling and waste reduction
Classification within the green construction sector
- Renewable energy generation
- – Solar energy installation
– Wind turbine service
- Energy efficiency
- – Boiler technicians
– Insulation installers
– HVAC installers / maintenance technicians
- Green construction
- – Green increased demand
– Green enhanced skills
Occupational hazards in green construction
- New technology hazards:
- – Solar Power
– Wind Power
– Weatherization
- Existing products – increased hazards:
– Skylights
– Atriums
– Recycling
– Indoor Air Quality
New Technology
More & Different Insulating Materials
Green Construction Jobs
- More atriums to increase natural light
- – More use of scaffolding, so more risk of falls
– NORA identifies scaffolding as one of the major risk factors for falls
- More skylights
- – Not built to withstand heavy loads
– Usually don’t have guardrails
- More recycling of construction debris
- – More ergonomic stress
– More punctures
– More slips and falls
– More struck by
- More use of building materials with postconsumer recycled content
- – Coal, or fly ash in concrete
– Arsenic, mercury, etc
– Grinding / drilling cured concrete
- More weatherization
- – Electrical - knoband- tube wiring in older homes
– Electrical - exterior caulking near power lines
– Lead and asbestos exposure
– Isocyanate / other
NIOSH’s Top Compelling Activities
- #3 – Include OSH into green and sustainable standards as they are being updated
- #4 – Include OSH in procurement and construction
- #6 – Integrate safety and health into green elements of contractor specifications
- #9 – Develop, validate and disseminate a LEED-like OSHA rating system
We can quantify
LEED rates jobs on:
- Sustainable sites
- Water efficiency
- Energy and atmosphere
- Materials and resources
- Indoor environmental air quality
- Innovation and design
So let US rate jobs on:
- Owner commitment to safety
- Safety and health professionals/contracts
- Safety and health planning
- Training and education
- Employee involvement
There is a tool in development to do this
LEED-like OSH rating system
Recommendations for elevating green construction safety as a priority in building
- Incorporate worker health into the green jobs debate
- Promote prevention through design (PtD)
- Incorporate worker health into green building certification programs
- Promote construction safety training
Helen Chen’s Report:
http://www.cpwr.com/sites/default/files/publications/Green-Healthy%20Jobs%20fnl%20for%20posting.pdf
