Construction accidents are the most prolific and dangerous causes of injury in the US. Where industry booms and safety regulations are enhanced, construction site accidents still retain a high and increasing level of lethality. Of more than 4,000 worker fatalities annually reported in 2018, 21.1% were in construction. That’s one in five worker deaths attributed to construction sites.
These statistics stem from improper worker training, companies failing to adhere to OSHA requirements as well as the inherent danger of construction site work in general. Falling from heights, failing to use safety equipment, electrocution, unsecured objects, and faulty machine industry — all deadly and volatile when unconsidered and unprepared for. Knowing what to watch out for and what are the usual causes of these accidents can save your life, as well as the lives of colleagues, employees, and bystanders.
Scaffolding, falling objects, and faulty fall protections
Falls are by far the most common causes of construction worker injuries and deaths. Construction sites involve a lot of scaffolding work, high places, holes in the ground, and work over dangerous construction equipment. It is, therefore, a sign of danger when a construction site does not comply or takes seriously the OSHA requirements of fall protection.
Hard hats and ladders are a common staple of all construction sites but precautions against threats in the construction site itself should be a primary concern so that bodily injuries are less likely to happen. On the one hand, construction work employers must provide railings, covers, even harnesses when necessary but, on the other hand, these dangers must first and foremost be properly communicated to on-the-duty workers. Hazard communication standards cover all causes of construction site accidents. Ignorance of the possible dangers is the real threat when working in places where one wrong step can be the difference between life and death.
Unsafe equipment and training standards
When it comes to trucks and power tools, proper certification and white card training are set to guide workers away from putting themselves and others in danger. Most commonly, accidents occur when the tool is misused against its weight or power capacity, or if the user is not properly trained for the job they are tasked to accomplish. This also goes with equipment meant for the very objective of protection.
Faulty or non-existent hard hats, respirators, harnesses, gloves, goggles, and other more specific protective measures are very likely to invoke preventable injuries and accidents. The other side of this issue is machine guarding. Many injuries happen when an uninstructed worker interacts with an industrial machine which, if left unguarded by either personnel or other restrictive measures, can cause dismemberment, disfiguration, burns, and even blindness.
Property conditions, debris, and powerlines
The OSHA Hazard communication standard is the seminal precaution to inform and ensure that workers are properly warned against conditions within the construction site. They are the first line of defense against inadvertent accidents. Nevertheless, this remains one of the most violated standards in the construction field.
Property in dangerous constriction sites can create conditions that may cause falling debris, the release of chemicals, and unguarded powerlines. Any one of which is a worry in and of itself, but construction workers in charge of interacting and stimying their effect on future property owners makes them the most vulnerable.
