CONST 320: Construction Safety Syllabus

Course Description

Employee safety is critical to the successful completion of any construction project! This course introduces you to OSHA policies, procedures, and standards, as well as construction safety and health principles.  Special emphasis will be placed on recognizing the most common safety hazards in the construction industry. 

2 Credit Hours

Prerequisite: ARCH 100 and CONST 120 OR Instructor authorization.

Course Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this course the students will be able to:

• Recognize the construction safety hazards associated with various construction processes, materials and equipment.

• Identify the most common causes of accidents and fatalities in hazardous areas of construction.

• Recommend abatement techniques for hazards found in construction.

• Understand the OSHA standards and the enforceable requirements for worker safety and health.

• Locate and identify the correct OSHA Standards in 29 CFR 1926.

• Develop hazard-specific safety training and present it to the class.

• Prepare a Company Safety Manual in accordance with OSHA requirements.

Required Materials

OSHA Standards for the Construction Industry (29 CFR 1926) United States Department of Labor as found at http://www.osha.gov  (free)

Since this is an online course, it is your responsibility to arrange to use a computer with internet access. (The higher speed you have for your internet access, the easier the course will be for you to complete.) It is also your responsibility to make sure you have the word processing and presentation software required to complete your assignments.

Course Layout

This course has been designed to follow a weekly schedule in which students complete one lesson per week. You are expected to complete all of the learning activities for each lesson in the order they are listed. Also, you should complete each lesson in order.  You are welcome to review upcoming assignments, but except for the major projects, you should not work ahead. For example, complete all the learning activities in Week 01 before beginning any learning activities in Week 02. The instructor may shift the order of completion for some assignments, and may even extend the deadlines on a few assignments if circumstances warrant it for the whole class.

Due dates and times for all assignments may be found by accessing the Calendar tool in I-Learn. 

The deans of the colleges at BYU-Idaho have determined that the average amount of study time that students will put in per week per credit is 3 to 4 hours. So, for a 2-credit class, the deans expect students to spend on average between 6 and 8 hours of total study time.

Construction 320 is a very rigorous course.  On average, students should expect to spend approximately 6 hours of study time to complete all the learning activities for each lesson. This is the amount of time that you should expect to put into this class each week if you want to get a passing (C) grade. If you want a higher grade, you may need to put in more study time, maybe even beyond 8 hours per week. Students working towards an A or B grade will usually need to put in more study time than 6 hours a week. Therefore, in order to keep up with the assignments and learn the most from this class, you should make sure you schedule about 1 to 2 hours a day to study for this class. Also, be aware that with this course, there is no “time off” for holidays that might occur during the week. Consequently, you should make sure to arrange your study schedule so that any holiday activities do not keep you from completing learning activities by the posted due dates and times.

Course Patterns

You can access all materials in I-Learn. There are 14 lessons. You will complete a lesson per week. Each lesson contains an overview, presentations, and an opportunity to discuss the week's topics.  There is usually one or more quizzes each week.  Over the term, you will be expected to complete three major projects.

Outcomes

The assessment of desired outcomes will be by means of OSHA Subpart quizzes, examinations, a safety presentation, and research assignments. Students will gain research and teaching experience by preparing safety meeting presentations that will be presented to the entire class.

Examinations

There will be exams given throughout the semester as indicated on the course schedule. Exams will cover the OSHA Standards for the Construction Industry (29 CFR 1926) and information from course material. Exams will be taken on dates specified. The final exam is an open-book comprehensive exam.

Grading

Grades will be figured on a straight percentage of the total points possible in the class.

You may check your progress in the course at any time by accessing your I-Learn gradebook.

In assigning final grades for this course, the instructor will use the BYU-Idaho Standard Grade Definition criteria listed below.

A

The grade of “A” represents outstanding understanding, application, and integration of subject material and extensive evidence of original thinking, skillful use of concepts, and ability to analyze and solve complex problems. Demonstrates diligent application of Learning Model principles, including initiative in serving other students.

B

The grade of “B” represents considerable/significant understanding, application, and incorporation of the material, which would prepare a student to be successful in next level courses, graduate school, or employment. The student participates in the Learning Model as applied in the course.

C

The grade of “C” represents sufficient understanding of subject matter. The student demonstrates minimal initiative to be prepared for class. Sequenced courses could be attempted, but mastering new materials might prove challenging. The student participates marginally in the Learning Model.

D

The grade of “D” represents poor performance and initiative to learn, understand, and apply course materials. Retaking a course or remediation may be necessary to prepare for additional instruction in this subject matter.

F

The grade of “F” represents failure in the course.

Grading Scale:

A = 90% – 100% B+ = 87% – 89% B = 80% – 86% C+ = 77% – 79% C = 70% – 76% D+ = 67% – 69% D = 60% – 66% F = 59% and lower

Course Policies

You should read the following course policies and make sure that you understand what these policies mean to you regarding your interactions with the instructor and other students in this course. If you have questions about any of these policies, you should contact your instructor immediately.

Late Work

All assigned work is to be handed in ON or BEFORE the published due date. If you are unable to complete the assignment on time, you have up to one week to submit the assignment, but you will be penalized 20%.

Exams must be taken as scheduled.

No late work is accepted after the final exam date.

Syllabus and Course Outline

The syllabus and course outline represent a tentative plan for this class. The instructor reserves the right to make changes, deletions, corrections, or additions during the course. You will be given notice in advance of any course changes. It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of these changes.