JOLIET – The Illinois Department of Labor's (IDOL) On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program (On-Site) joined the Chicago South Area Office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Pepper Construction Company, and the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council to celebrate the successful completion of the Hollywood Casino Joliet construction project and the impact of their OSHA Strategic Partnership.
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“Our partnership exemplifies what’s possible when employers, labor, and government work together to prioritize safety,” said IDOL Director Jane Flanagan. “By embedding a culture of prevention and vigilance from day one, we helped ensure that thousands of hours of construction work were completed with minimal injuries and maximum care for worker wellbeing.”
Launched in mid-2024, the partnership was designed to reduce the risk of injuries and illnesses during the construction of the new casino. The collaborative effort focused on worker training, routine site inspections, safety walkthroughs, and hazard mitigation strategies – ensuring a safety-focused culture on the job site.
“More than 1,600 workers went through safety orientation, which resulted in minimal work-related illnesses and/or injuries,” said Illinois On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Safety Supervisor Ed LeFevour. “This project demonstrated the real value of proactive safety practices – particularly in commercial construction, one of the most hazardous industries.”
Over the course of the project, safety training took place on a daily basis, and On-Site participated in the monthly safety training that included crane operations, working safely from heights, as well as electrical safety and emergency preparedness.
“This partnership created an engaged group of leaders from the DOL, OSHA, Pepper and most of all, our trade partners,” said Pepper Construction Vice President, Safety Dan Ruane. “Getting the “Voice of the Worker” is a critical step when creating a healthy safety culture. On this project, we did that by creating a team that looked ahead and planned high risk activities and walked the site together to ensure we were following those plans. This was a great experience for our project team and our company, and we are looking forward to the next opportunity.”
“The partnership shows how teamwork can create a positive culture among the workforce by having safety as part of a daily routine for the present and into the future,” said Al Jotautas, Safety Director for the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council.
Small- to medium-sized businesses in Illinois are encouraged to take advantage of the free and confidential services offered by the On-Site program. These consultations provide expert guidance for businesses aiming to strengthen workplace safety and health practices. For more information about the On-Site Consultation Program, call 800-972-4216, email dol.consultation@illinois.gov, or visit the WorkSafe website.
The 21(d) On-Site Consultation Cooperative Agreement is funded by a federal grant covering 90 percent of the program's budget, with the remaining 10 percent provided by State funds.
