For the first time in history, the Indiana Department of Labor (IDOL) and the University of Notre Dame have engaged in a strategic safety partnership on a construction project. The University of Notre Dame, IDOL, and Shiel Sexton representatives signed a joint agreement on July 6, 2018, for the Men’s Residence Hall on which Shiel Sexton is serving as Construction Manager as Agent. Kevin Hunt, Chief Operating Officer, served as the Shiel Sexton representative during the agreement signing held on campus. 

This initiative is an incredible advancement opportunity for the overall safety and health of workers on the jobsite and will potentially result in a lower number of injuries during construction. This partnership will oversee contractors and subcontractors during the entirety of the project scheduled to be complete in June 2019. The goal of the University of Notre Dame is to achieve the highest standard of safety performance. 

Ray Lake, Corporate Safety Director at Shiel Sexton, explains, “A strategic safety partnership is beneficial to all parties involved. I believe that one of the greatest impacts is that it opens a line of communication between IDOL and contractors working on the project. Many contractors are unaware of the different benefits that IDOL can offer, such as guidance, consultation and training. This is a big deal for smaller contractors who may not have the resources to do in-house expert training or focused jobsite inspections.”

With the help of IDOL, training and mentoring will be evaluated to the specific project goals for successful construction performance. Benefits of this partnership include special press recognition through many media outlets, top priority safety and health consultations for contractors and subcontractors and tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses.

The Men’s Residence Hall project is a $20 million, 80,000 SF facility that will have residential space and amenities for the University’s increasing student population. Shiel Sexton will be working with Goody Clancy, the architect, to construct this project that will follow the collegiate Gothic architecture prominent on the prestigious campus. Building plans include housing for approximately 250 students, chapels, study areas, and a workout facility. Members of the Shiel Sexton project team include Vice President Chuck Scholer, Senior Project Manager Chris Metzger, General Superintendent Tony Eisenhut, Superintendent Jim Wenzler, Assistant Project Manager James Letsinger, and Safety Manager Amy Fletcher.