How to effectively manage safety and health costs for underground projects

Effective safety and health programs for underground construction projects can save companies considerable amounts of money if developed, implemented and managed properly. Safety and health costs should be treated the same as production costs and costs associated with quality assurance programs. Injuries, OSHA citations or an ineffective worker's compensation tracking program will cost the project money whether it is in "hard" or trackable dollars or "soft" money such as indirect and avoidance costs. The paper will discuss the benefits of having an effective safety and health program for your project, the different types of costs associated with safety and health programs and injury costs and what you can do to effectively control these costs.