b'Virginia Tech launches construction safety majorinclude hazard recognition and identification, motivating othersto be safety-minded and leadership skills and knowledge, The Myers-Lawson School of Construction, part of VirginiaKleiner said.Techs College of Engineering, has introduced a new major to help shape the industrys future safety leaders.Plus, all courses have industry engagement and are project/experientially based. When it comes to getting work The new construction safety leadership program, a bachelors inexperience, Kleiner said students will be better prepared and more likely to seek out internships with a strong safety science at the Blacksburg, Virginia, university started admittingcomponent, and, with the major in place, he believes recruiters students in May and the inaugural cohort could graduate as soonwill be more likely to create those positions. as May 2025. The new major came out of rising industry demand forJacob Kmieciak, a construction engineering and management construction engineers with a safety-focused mindset, said Brianstudent of the program, was interested in taking part because he felt the degree would be a high-value commodity in the work-M. Kleiner, professor and director for the Center of Innovationplace and the skills gained from it would translate to betterSafety, Health and Well-being at the Myers-Lawson School ofpositions and possibly higher pay. Construction. Our industry advisory board was instrumental in driving theI feel it will prepare me for the construction industry by allow-need for students equipped to lead safety, whether as safetying me to gain another diverse and useful skillset that can be applied to anything I do now as a student, intern, future graduate professionals or as safety-minded project managers oror as a future engineer, he said. Safety is what we make of it; superintendents, he said.the goal is the same for everyone: Get home safely. And now with this new major, we can hopefully make something more of The only other school in the mid-Atlantic region with a safetyit with all the technology and clever, caring individuals working degree is Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock,on a solution. Pennsylvania, said Kleiner, and that is very-rule based, focusing on OSHA regulations, for example. By contrast, the VirginiaKmieciak said that in his classes, students work toward gaining Tech major will focus on leadership skills and knowledge,their OSHA-10 certification through studying and multipleplacing the regulations within the context of leadership.examinations, and also gain more background on what safety systems exist to help reduce workplace accidents. The construction industry faces numerous safety challenges that the program aims to address, Kleiner said. For hazard protection,I think this new major will drastically change the way students that means highlighting OSHAs Fatal Four on jobsites andgo into the construction industry, he said. For starters, having continuing to advocate for safety and prevention.your OSHA-10 certification makes you a valuable asset to any company as it shows your dedication to safety and helps save On the leadership side, [the major focuses on] creating a culturetime and money training new hires. I am excited to see where this where safety is not seen as a cost-prohibitive negative but awill take the safety in the industry. productivity-promoting element that brings workers home safe each night, Kleiner said.Along with the launch of this new major, Virginia Tech, through its Center of Innovation Safety, Health and Well-Being, recently Safety, leadership and studiesinitiated a project focused on improving safety equipmentThe students will take five core courses as part of the program,standards, which includes a thorough evaluation of jobsite beginning with CEM 2714: Construction Safety Systems, whichhelmets. offers an introductory look at construction safety and its importance in the industry.The initial step is to verify that helmets provide superior protection compared to traditional hard hats, Kleiner said. The other courses include: While hard hats are designed solely to protect the head from falling objects, helmets offer more comprehensive safety CEM 3164: Construction Health and Safety, which exploresmeasures. Ultimately, a rating system will be developed forhelmets, based on empirical testing.the regulations, standards and laws established by governing agencies to protect workers. By Keith LoriaCEM 3714: Controlling Construction Safety Hazards, which examines the cognitive processes involved in recognizing and managing safety hazards on construction sites. CEM 4714: Construction Safety Culture, which investigates ethical safety practices within the context of construction culture, climate and organizational leadership. CEM 4724: Construction Industry Futures: Safety, Health and Wellness, which evaluates the future of the construction industry through the perspectives of safety, health and wellness. The key skills students will acquire through this program 14'