September 6, 2007 - Barton Malow/Skanska, A Joint Venture, the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth (DLEG), the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA), and the Greater Detroit Building and Construction Trades Council, signed a partnership on Sept. 5th, to protect construction workers at Beaumont Hospital in Troy.  The partnership goal is enhanced safety and health protection and zero injuries for workers on a major expansion project at the hospital.

The joint venture team of Barton Malow Company and Skanska USA Building Inc. are serving as the design/builder for the first phase of a three-phase expansion project for Beaumont, Troy.  The expansion project includes an Emergency Center addition, a critical care tower, and a comprehensive outpatient services center.  All construction is expected to be complete in 2009.

"Barton Malow and Skanska are building a cutting edge healthcare facility with the commitment to send every construction worker home healthy and whole, every day," said DLEG Director Keith W. Cooley.  "We applaud these two premier companies who build world class facilities nationwide.  This project is an outstanding example of the work we need to speed Michigan's economic growth."

The construction industry is one of the most hazardous industries in Michigan. Only about four percent of Michigan's workforce is employed in construction?however, construction fatalities account for more than 40 percent of all fatal workplace accidents.  All partners are committed to creating an environment where the ultimate goal is zero tolerance for workplace injuries.

"The partnership that we're creating today can only help to further raise awareness about construction worker safety, and that's always a welcome goal," said Patrick Devlin, CEO of the Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council. "Hopefully, in the long term, these kinds of partnerships will become the norm on jobsites across the state of Michigan."

Partnerships are an important emphasis in MIOSHA's Strategic Plan to improve the health and safety of workers through cooperative relationships with groups, including trade associations, labor organizations, and employers.  Partnerships move away from traditional enforcement methods and embrace collaborative agreements.

"This joint venture between Barton Malow and Skanska brings together two great organizations with the same philosophy-zero tolerance for unsafe acts and conditions.  Partnering with MIOSHA allows us to utilize all the team members in the pursuit of that goal," said Mark S. Klimbal, CSP, Corporate Safety Director, Barton Malow Company.  "Through this cooperative effort, we can focus even more resources on the requirement to run a project driven by safety, quality, and productivity."

"The MIOSHA Partnership at William Beaumont Hospital-Troy is an affirmation of Skanska's Injury Free Environment program.  It brings government, building trades, construction managers, and building owners into a cohesive group emphasizing safety and high-quality construction," said David Reece, Senior Vice President, Skanska USA Building Inc.  "It affirms our commitment to having all workers go home to their families in the same condition they started the day."

Signing partners will include:  Jennifer Macks, Project Executive, David Reece, Project Executive, Mark Klimbal, Corporate Safety Director, and Mark Dumas, Environmental, Health and Safety Director, Barton Malow/Skanska; Shorty Gleason, President, Patrick Devlin, CEO, and Edward Coffey, Business Representative, Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council; Keith Cooley, DLEG Director; and Doug Kalinowski, MIOSHA Director.

The Greater Detroit Building and Construction Trades Council and its affiliate unions are supportive of this partnership.  The partnering unions include:  Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights; Asbestos Workers Local 25; Bricklayers Local 1; Boilermakers Local 169; Cement Masons Local 514; Elevator Constructors Local 36; Glaziers and Glassworkers Local 357; I.B.E.W. Local 58; Iron Workers Local 25; Laborers Local 1076; Laborers Local 1191; Operating Engineers Local 324; Painters D.C. No. 22; Pipefitters Local 636; Plaster Local 67; Plumbers Local 98; Roofers Local 149; Sheet Metal Local 80; Sheet Metal Local 292; Sign, Pictorial & Display Workers Local 591; Sprinkler Fitters Local 704; Teamsters Local 247; Tile, Marble & Terrazzo Local 32.

The "Beaumont Troy Phase 1 Project Partnership Agreement" has been established to raise awareness and promote safety for all personnel employed in the Beaumont Hospital, Troy construction project.  Recognizing that engineering techniques alone are not enough to ensure that exposures to hazards are controlled, the program includes coordination, monitoring and educating the personnel involved in the project.  These components will be implemented through the same principles of management control applied throughout all phases of the project.

Barton Malow/Skanska and the partnering trade unions and subcontractors endorse the ultimate goal of ZERO INJURIES on the Beaumont Hospital, Troy project.  The key elements of the site specific Safety and Health Program for the project include:

• Adherence to all safety policies, procedures, and MIOSHA standards.
• 100 percent fall protection over 6 feet, including steel erection and roof work. 
• 100 percent eye protection. 
• All crane operators will be Certified Crane Operators (CCO).
• Substance abuse testing through M.U.S.T. or equivalent program - adherence by all trade contractors.
• Pre-Task Safety Plans (PSPs) to be completed and submitted to Barton Malow/Skanska by contractors prior to beginning critical work.
• PSPs must be posted at the work area, and reviewed with workers prior to beginning work.
• Contractors shall provide a Competent and/or Qualified Person for work operations as identified by MIOSHA standards and/or Barton Malow/Skanska.
• Barton Malow/Skanska and the partnering employers on this project will uniformly enforce a disciplinary action plan for employees who fail to work in a safe manner.  Automatic dismissal from this project shall result from any willful or deliberate violation of safety rules or safety polices and procedures.

"The MIOSHA program is dedicated to working with employers to find innovative ways to enhance workplace safety and health," said MIOSHA Director Doug Kalinowski.  "Through partnerships, MIOSHA can offer employers a voluntary, cooperative relationship to eliminate serious hazards and achieve a high level of safety and health."

The partnership does not preclude MIOSHA from enforcing its mission of addressing complaints, fatalities, or serious accidents, nor does it infringe on the rights of employees to report workplace hazards.

MIOSHA has an existing partnership with Barton Malow and Walbridge Aldinger to demolish the Davey Terminal/Hotel complex at Detroit Metropolitan Airport and create the new North Terminal.  All partners have worked diligently to protect employees on that project and with over 600,000 man hours worked to date, there has not been a lost-time incident on the North Terminal jobsite.

Barton Malow Company provides construction management, design/build, program management, general contracting, technology and rigging services nationwide.  The ISO quality certified company has Green Building LEED accredited specialists on staff and is an industry Building Information Modeling (BIM) leader.  Niche market specialties include: health care, educational, federal, industrial, energy and special event facilities.

Barton Malow has a staff of over 1,300 and is a Best Places to Work company headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, with offices in Chicago, Illinois; Jacksonville and Orlando, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; Charlottesville, Virginia; Columbus, Ohio; and Phoenix, Arizona.  Annual firm revenues exceed $1 billion. The company has worked over 1.5 million hours in 2007 with no lost-time cases.  For additional information, visit www.bartonmalow.com.

Skanska USA Building Inc. is a leading national and local provider of construction, pre-construction consulting, general contracting and design-build services to a broad range of U.S. industries including life sciences, healthcare, education, high-tech, aviation, transportation and sports and entertainment. The company, part of the Skanska AB global group of companies, is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, and has approximately 3,800 employees. Skanska was recently ranked by Modern Healthcare as the largest healthcare builder in the United States . For more information, visit www.skanska.com.

Read more Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth press releases.