Safety

Industry-leading OSHA safety training

The top priority for all parties associated with the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades is the safety of everyone on the jobsite.

Statistics show unionized workers form the safest workforce in the construction industry.

OSHA training

Our affiliated unions provide their members, both apprentices and journeymen, with OSHA safety training to help protect them from workplace dangers.

This safety training keeps construction projects progressing efficiently with minimal downtime due to accidents and injuries. It ultimately reduces construction costs and helps projects meet completion deadlines.

According to the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), the more than 1,900 Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees throughout the U.S. and Canada invest more than $1.5 billion annually to train more than 500,000 union construction workers, including in safety and health.

In 2024, affiliated C/COBCTC JATCs spent over $8 million on training and education to ensure the union construction industry has the safest and most efficient construction workforce in the region.

Mental health and substance abuse

Sadly, the construction industry (both union and non-union) has the second highest suicide rate among major industries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 53 out of every 100,000 construction workers die by suicide per year.

Construction workers also represent about 25 percent of fatal opioid overdoses among all workers.

C/COBCTC-affiliated unions, their Internationals and other organizations are taking steps to deal with mental health and substance abuse issues among members.

It is time to break down the stereotype that mental health is a taboo topic in the construction industry.

CPWR has developed free, practical tools — including toolbox talks, infographics, hazard alerts and training programs — to help prevent opioid overdoses and suicides and to improve worker well-being.

CPWR Resources to Prevent Opioid Deaths in Construction

CPWR Resources to Prevent Suicide Deaths in Construction

If you or someone you know needs immediate help, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 9-8-8.

Call 988

Face of sad man, construction worker and headache for renovation, civil engineering mistake and stress. Confused, tired and anxiety of African builder in burnout, crisis and architecture problem

The findings

The Impact of Unions on Construction Worksite Health and Safety

Evidence from OSHA Inspections

Frank Manzo IV, M.P.P. Michael Jekot Robert Bruno, Ph. D.

This study analyzed over 37,000 OSHA inspections in the construction industry in 2019 – including more than 2,800 at union worksites and nearly 34,200 at nonunion worksites – and reveals that union worksites have significantly fewer health and safety violations.

View/Download PDF of the Study

Updating a study on the union effect on safety in the ICI construction sector

Lynda Robson Victoria Landsman Desiree Latour-Willamil Hyunmi Lee Cameron Mustard

Extending an earlier study from 2015, this study found the union construction industry has lower incidences of Workers’ Compensation lost time injuries than the non-union sector.

View/Download PDF of the Study