LTU gets state grant to improve investigation of construction site injuries

SOUTHFIELD-Lawrence Technological University has received a $24,000 grant from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration to conduct workshops on improving investigations of construction site injuries.

The grant, to LTU civil engineering associate professor Ahmed Al-Bayati, was one of 18 grants totaling $870,000 to various nonprofits and labor unions to improve workplace safety and health.

Al-Bayati, director of LTU's Construction Safety Research Center, will conduct the workshop, "Tailored Incident Investigation," on LTU's campus from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14. The workshop will cover the challenge of repeated incidents, root cause analysis, tailored investigation protocols, human and workplace factors, and more.

The workshop is limited to 10 participants. Those interested should contact Al-Bayati at [email protected] .

Al-Bayati published a study in the scholarly journal Safety earlier this year emphasizing the critical need for tailored incident investigation protocols to uncover root causes of workplace incidents, particularly in the electrical construction industry. He found a significant gap in traditional incident investigations: the failure to identify and address underlying systemic issues.

Al-Bayati's research introduces a tailored approach to incident investigations, designed to systematically uncover the root causes of incidents, moving beyond individual errors to address broader organizational issues.

The study, funded by ELECTRI International, the nonprofit research arm of the National Electrical Contractors Association, focuses on arc flash incidents, but is applicable to various types of construction hazards.

Fifteen industry experts participated in the study and identified specific unsafe actions. Furthermore, the study uncovered the root causes of these unsafe actions, highlighting human and workplace factors. Additionally, the study examined unsafe conditions, such as outdated equipment and lack of labeling, along with their root causes.

For more information on Al-Bayati's study, visit https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MILEO/bulletins/3a4abcb .

For more details on the 2025 MIOSHA grant projects and descriptions, visit Michigan.gov/mioshagrants .

MIOSHA is housed within the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.

"It is our mission to make Michigan a place where all people, businesses and communities have the economic means and personal freedoms to reach their full potential, and that work includes providing resources to protect Michigan workers and support businesses with healthy and safe workplaces," said Sean Egan, LEO's deputy director for labor. "These grants help ensure businesses across the state can provide critical training and services that will protect workers across a wide range of industries."

Other grant funded projects include targeted workplace health and safety training in high-hazard industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, training for silica exposure control, as well as mental health awareness training for the construction industry.

"Every grantee plays an important role in developing and expanding occupational safety and health training," said MIOSHA Director Bart Pickelman.

Lawrence Technological University is one of only 13 independent, technological, comprehensive doctoral universities in the United States. Located in Southfield, Mich., LTU was founded in 1932 and offers more than 100 programs through its Colleges of Architecture and Design, Arts and Sciences, Business and Information Technology, Engineering, and Health Sciences, as well as Specs@LTU as part of its growing Center for Professional Development. PayScale lists Lawrence Tech among the nation's top 11 percent of universities for alumni salaries. Forbes and The Wall Street Journal rank LTU among the nation's top 10 percent. U.S. News and World Report list it in the top tier of the best Midwest colleges. And LTU is included in the Princeton Review's "The Best 390 Colleges 2025 Edition," a list of the nation's top 15 percent of colleges and universities. Students benefit from small class sizes and a real-world, hands-on, "theory and practice" education with an emphasis on leadership. Activities on Lawrence Tech's 107-acre campus include more than 60 student organizations and NAIA varsity sports.

Photo by Daniel Mekis via Wikimedia Commons.

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