Safety Performance through Operational Excellence -- Phase I
The Construction Industry Institute (CII) chartered Research Team 317 (RT-317) to identify the impact of operational excellence on safety performance. Recognizing the challenge of this task, CII authorized RT-317 to divide its project into two phases. The primary objective of Phase I was to develop a conceptually validated model of operational excellence for safety in the context of a construction project. The results of this phase are summarized in this research summary and described more completely in Research Report 317-11, Improving Site Safety Performance through Operational Excellence. RT-317 continues its work in Phase II, collecting data to measure the relationship between operational excellence and safety performance, and then quantifying the impact of adherence to the operational excellence model on project safety performance.
“Doing the right thing, the right way, every time – even when no one is watching.”
Research Team 317’s definition of operational excellence guided its research into developing a rigorous model for construction project safety. Such a model has multiple levels, with the highest level determining which elements drive a project towards operational excellence, and its lowest level identifying specifications and measurements that quantify those elements. RT-317’s initial efforts resulted in the Operational Excellence Model for Construction Project Safety, an extensive model with over 300 specifications and measurements. After multiple assessments and modifications within the research team, the model was scrutinized by 92 owner and contractor industry experts from all levels of their organizations and from all sectors of the capital projects delivery industry. The RT-317 deliverable is a conceptually validated model that synthesizes previous work from fields as varied as psychology, sociology, behavioral safety, organizational culture, Six Sigma, and Quality Function Deployment. The model prescribes the elements necessary to drive behavior, and the consistent execution of desired behaviors should improve safety outcomes.
