Let’s Talk
Menu

The construction industry is inherently risky, but OSHA has identified four hazards that consistently account for over 60% of all fatalities in the industry. These four hazards are falls, struck-by accidents, electrocution, and caught-in/between accidents. They are routinely referred to as the “fatal four”. It’s important to both understand these hazards, and be aware of ways to mitigate them, in order to keep people safe on the jobsite.

  • Falls: According to OSHA’s statistics, falls have accounted for anywhere between 33% to 40% of all construction fatalities. Falls typically occur in areas where there are unprotected edges, ladders are misused, or scaffolding is improperly utilized. Other factors, such as human misjudgment of risk, unstable working surfaces, and poor weather also contribute to an increased risk of falls.

Mitigation Tactics: Strategies such as personal fall arrest systems, guard rail systems, and controlling access to areas with increased potential for falls are all ways to help mitigate the risk of an employee being injured due to a fall.

  • Struck-by: Struck-by fatalities can happen due to several different types of hazards. These hazards include: an employee being hit by falling debris, moving equipment, or flying debris.

Mitigation Tactics: To protect themselves from falling/flying objects, employees should ensure they are always wearing a well-fitted hard hat on the jobsite. Employees must also work to maintain contact with the operators of any equipment operating near them. Finally, maintain good housekeeping practices, such as never resting equipment on guardrails or near the edge of elevated platforms.

  • Electrocution: Employees in the construction industry are exposed to electricity all day and can begin to be desensitized to the risks. However, improper use of electrical equipment can result in burns, shock, arc flashes, fire, and explosions. Exposed wiring, ungrounded equipment, working too close to power lines, and using power tools in wet conditions are all hazards that employees need to be aware of.

Mitigation Tactics: Always ensure the cords on your power tools and extension cords are in good condition, and that you have a robust lockout/tagout program in place. Additionally, employees tasked with doing more complicated electrical work should receive the proper level of training that corresponds to their job responsibilities.

  • Caught In/Between: OSHA defines a caught-in/between accident as a person being squeezed, caught, crushed, pinched, or compressed between two or more objects, or between parts of an object. Common examples include being sucked into moving machinery, a trench collapsing, or being pinned between equipment and an immovable object.

Mitigation Tactics: Properly guarding moving parts on machinery, using proper shoring techniques when working on a trench, avoiding loose-fitting clothing, and maintaining awareness of machines in operation are ways for employees to protect themselves.


Back to Overview


Blog Categories

View all