Skanska USA Building Inc. and joint venture partner L.S. Brinker Company recently announced that their St. John Hospital and Medical Center (SJH&MC) projects have received a Silver Award from Liberty Mutual, the company underwriting their Owner Controlled Insurance Program (OCIP) on SJH&MC. To qualify for this award, performance must be more than 60 percent better than the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data.
Prior to the construction at SJH&Mc's Van Elslander Pavilion and Emergency Center renovation, St. John Health assumed liability for workman's compensation for the project. To do this, they created an OCIP and had the costs quoted for the construction without workman's compensation and liability. The state of Michigan can grant an OCIP to a project with a value of $25 million or more.
After getting approval, Skanska/L.S. Brinker and St. John Hospital worked together on the Van Elslander Pavilion and Emergency Center projects. Dennis Bitman, Loss Control coordinator for St. John Health, has been pleased with the focus on safety.
"This OCIP has been extremely successful," said Bitman. "Not only has it been a significant cost savings, but the workers have been great. Without them, this would not have been successful."
"We have worked endlessly to develop safety procedures that protect our staff while on-site. It has been an honor to be a part of the project, and it's great to see our dedication to safety rewarded," said Larry S. Brinker Sr., chief executive officer for L.S. Brinker Company.
Skanska's David A. Reece, AIA, senior vice president stated, "These two projects have been extremely successful due in part to the infusion of our Injury Free Environment culture in all parties who participated in the project. Safety, on many job sites, is often taken for granted. It is fulfilling to see our team recognized for a job well done."
The Van Elslander Pavilion was completed in early June, and the Emergency Center at SJH&MC will complete all three phrases of its renovation in December 2008.
SJH&MC, a regional destination hospital for leading-edge medical care and technology, is a member of St. John Health, the largest provider of inpatient care in Southeast Michigan and one of the largest employers in metropolitan Detroit. St. John Health provides comprehensive prevention, primary care and advanced treatment programs with more than 125 medical centers and seven hospitals spanning five counties.
Skanska USA Building Inc. is a leading national and local provider of construction, pre-construction consulting, general contracting, and design-build services to a broad range of U.S. industries including life sciences, health care, education, high-tech, aviation, transportation, and sports and entertainment. Skanska USA Building also provides pharmaceutical validation services to clients. The company, part of the Skanska AB global group of companies, is headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, and has approximately 4,700 employees.
Skanska is one of the world's leading construction groups with expertise in construction, development of commercial and residential projects, and public-private partnerships. The group currently has 60,000 employees in selected home markets in Europe, the U.S. and Latin America.
