A partnership to reduce injuries, illnesses and deaths in the hazardous construction industry was recently signed by the U.S. Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the on-site construction manager of the new Philadelphia Phillies Ballpark, Driscoll/Hunt Joint Venture.

“Cooperation among labor, management and OSHA is vital to ensure the safety and health of workers on a large and complex construction project,” said John L. Henshaw, assistant U.S. secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. “This partnership is an important step in making sure these workers go home safe and healthy at the end of the day.”

The Joint Venture provides management services for the construction of the new 1.1-million-sq.-ft. (102,193 sq m) baseball only park featuring a natural grass and dirt field 23 ft. (7 m) below street level. Driscoll/Hunt’s role is to administer and coordinate construction contractors, including compliance with environmental, health, and safety practices.

Partnership signatories include Phillies chairman William Giles and Henshaw, as well as Phyllis Kyner, area director of the Philadelphia OSHA office; Domenick Salvatore, compliance assistant with the Philadelphia OSHA office; Brian King, project director (Hunt), William Mott, director of safety and labor relations (Hunt), Dona L. File, corporate safety director (Driscoll), John Engler, project manager of the Pennsylvania OSHA Consultation Program, John Stranix, project manager of the Phillies’ new ballpark; and Fred Cosenza, business representative of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council.

“In a partnership, OSHA enters into an extended, voluntary, cooperative relationship with groups of employers, employees, and employee representatives,” Kyner explained. “The goals are to encourage, assist, and recognize efforts to eliminate serious hazards and to achieve a high level of worker safety and health.”