By Grainger Editorial Staff 7/1/19
The "fatal four" hazards in the construction world may be the industry’s leading causes of injury and death, but safety managers can lessen these threats and keep their workers safe from harmwith good planning, awareness, and the right protective equipment.
Construction is one of the deadliest industries for workers, and OSHA created the Focus Four to highlight the primary causes of injury and death in construction. One-in-five worker deaths in the U.S. occur in the construction industry, so the following four hazards need to be a major concern point for all safety managers:
Fall hazards are present at most worksites, OSHA reports in its “Focus Four: Mitigating Jobsite Hazards,” publication, with many workers exposed to these hazards on a daily basis. Because workers are at risk any time they are working at a height of four feet or more, OSHA generally requires that fall protection be provided for an employee working at a height of six feet. And regardless of the fall distance, fall protection must be provided when working over dangerous equipment and machinery.
To prevent falls, safety managers should make sure their employees always:
Produced by forcible contact or impact between the injured person and an object or piece of equipment, struck-by injuries typically involve flying, falling, swinging, or rolling objects. To better prevent struck-by incidents, employees should wear appropriate PPE, stay alert of heavy equipment, and stay clear of lifted or suspended loads.
Workers should also:
Caught-in/between accidents involve those individuals who get caught or crushed in operating equipment, between other mashing objects, between a moving object and a stationary object, or between two or more moving objects. Cave-ins, trenching, and being pulled into or caught in machinery and equipment (including strangulation as the result of clothing caught in running machinery and equipment) all fall under this OSHA Focus Four category.
To prevent caught-in/between accidents, safety managers should ensure that their employees:
Electrical workers have the most electrocutions per year, with the most serious concern being working “live” or near live wires. Proper protocol includes de-energizing and using lockout/tagout procedures. Among non-electricians (e.g., construction laborers, carpenters, supervisors of nonelectrical workers, and roofers), failure to avoid live overhead power lines and a lack of basic electrical safety knowledge are the major concerns.
To prevent electrocutions, safety managers should make sure their workers:
To promote safety on the jobsite and reduce the consequences of OSHA’s Fatal Four, companies can use the proactive steps outlined in this article to engage their workforces and make sure employees go home safely to their families every night. Building a commitment to safety starts at the top, where senior management can set the best example by making safety the centerpiece of the organization’s strategic planning efforts
The information contained in this article is intended for general information purposes only and is based on information available as of the initial date of publication. No representation is made that the information or references are complete or remain current. This article is not a substitute for review of current applicable government regulations, industry standards, or other standards specific to your business and/or activities and should not be construed as legal advice or opinion. Readers with specific questions should refer to the applicable standards or consult with an attorney.