Quantitative Assessment of the Impact of Rework Prevention on Safety

There have been limited studies that have examined the relationship between quality and safety performance. In addressing this issue, this paper examines the impact a 'Rework Prevention Program' had on reducing the number of safety incidents in an AU$375 million program alliance, which delivered 129 water infrastructure projects over a five-year period. The statistical characteristics of incidents (n=380) are examined prior to and after the introduction of a 'Rework Prevention Program'. The analysis revealed that there was a statistical significant difference in the number of incidents per month for pre and post introduction of the program. Moreover, the analysis revealed the number of incidents was increasing as the project progressed prior to the introduction of the program. Thus, the introduction of the 'Rework Reduction Program' significantly decreased the rate of incidents, which resulted in an improvement in safety performance.