Meanwhile, the owner performed vendor shop inspections and attended factory-acceptance tests to ensure that materials and equipment met specifications. On-site quality-control teams ensured that crews installed materials and equipment to specification.

Ensuring worker safety, the owner implemented a comprehensive program to address risks ranging from steep heights to hazardous materials in confined spaces and required trades to develop detailed plans in accordance with the guidelines it issued.

Team members additionally implemented provisions for work deemed particularly hazardous, including activities involving chimney and chimney liner fabrication.

When construction teams identified adverse conditions, safety personnel met to discuss proactive corrective measures. Construction stand downs, meantime, addressed recurring issues while reinforcing safety standards.

Any injury or near miss was investigated, with the root cause and lessons learned communicated to workers.

Likewise, lessons learned were continually gathered with a "good catch" form, providing all onsite workers a voice in further promoting awareness of potential dangers.

Logging more than 2 million total labor hours, team members achieved a recordable incident rate of 0.27 and a lost-time accident rate of 0.09.

Schahfer Unit 14 FGD and WasteWater Treatment Project, Wheatfield, Ind.

Key Players

Owner Northern Indiana Public Service Co., Valparaiso, Ind.

General Contractor Northern Indiana Public Service Co.

Designer Sargent & Lundy, Chicago