Video project idea

Story Idea:

Our story will focus on some of the practical aspects of the ongoing construction at the University of Texas campus.  We will specifically be looking at the existing safety concerns.  There have in the past been numerous cases of injury to construction workers on site.  These workers are required to wear safety equipment while working in many of the construction zones, with these need being clearly stated through easily visible signage.  Yet, students are allowed to move freely through many of these same areas without any safety precautions.  This raises not only the obvious questions regarding safety, but also further questions about liability and the steps the that university has taken or is planning to take to safeguard against potential injuries.

Structure of Story:

• Open with a brief introduction to the construction zones that inundate the university campus.
• Explore past injuries suffered by workers on site and changes made in reaction to those incidents.
• Demonstrate the openly stated need for security precautions for workers and contrast this with the apparent lack of concern for students accessing these same areas.  Question officials regarding these inconsistencies.
• Investigate the nature of the plans that exist in case of an injury to a student, looking at incidents that have already occurred in the past for precedent.
• Discuss how the issue is likely to be handled moving forward.

Video/Text Component:

There's a lot of video waiting to be shot for this story.  Construction work continues on a daily basis, both on a small scale within actively used buildings and a larger scale as teams assemble new structures starting with the very foundation.  The visible warnings that exist at numerous sites would be emphasized.  Interviews with related officials would be a part of the story and would fit neatly into the structure of the project.

Interview Subjects:

1.  Officials at the University of Texas who play a role in deciding school policy as it pertains to the ongoing construction efforts, specifically those policies concerning the safety of the students and faculty.
2. Contractors and/or University employees who deal with contractors, to discuss their views on the safety issue and past incidents that have occurred.
3. Students, to get their take on the potential dangers that may exist and to ask about any discomfort they are made to feel by the severe work going on around them.