Have you heard of the fatal four? It’s the unfortunate name of the four leading causes of accidents on construction sites that lead to injury and death.
It’s no surprise that construction sites can be dangerous places. So below we’ve listed what these accidents are and steps that can be taken to avoid them.
Construction Accident #1: Falls
Falls are the most common causes of death and injury in the construction industry. They are responsible for over 100,000 deaths and injuries each year. Unfortunately, not all construction sites are equipped with fall protection for construction workers.
Examples of this protection include:
- Guardrails and toe boards around elevated open platforms
- Safety lines and harnesses
- Safety nets
- Railings
Construction Accident #2: Struck By Object
Getting struck by an object on a construction site is usually the result of being caught off guard without time to react. Some examples of this include a falling load, flying debris, swing arm of equipment, or a rolling vehicle.
Ways to help prevent being struck by an object include:
- Wearing safety equipment
- Use debris nets, screens, and toe boards to secure materials and tools
- Be aware of your environment and don’t position yourself under or near loads
Construction Accident #3: Electrocution
Electrocutions are responsible for over 300 deaths and more than 4,000 injuries each year. Avoiding electrocutions involves taking extra precautions when dealing with electricity. Always using personal protective equipment is important, no matter how cumbersome the equipment may feel. When using personal protective equipment with an arc rating, the rating should be greater than or equal to the incident energy.
Construction Accident #4: Caught-in-Between
On construction sites, workers may accidentally get a body part squeezed, caught, or crushed between objects. This can be the result of falling materials, getting limbs caught in machinery, or machinery rolling over.
Ways to prevent these accidents include:
- Familiarize yourself with equipment and where the crush points or pull-in areas are located
- Make sure to shut down equipment before repairing and stop wheels on equipment that could roll
- Dress appropriately: no loose clothing, jewelry, or loose hair that could get caught in machinery