OSHA: Most Work-Related Fatalities are Preventable

Each year, roughly 4,500 men and women lose their lives as a result of a work-related incident. While this number has been decreasing ever since the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was first created, lowering it even further remains a top priority among officials.

Not surprisingly, OSHA's area director for Boise, Idaho recently said that most work-related fatalities are preventable, and that employers should put forth the effort to provide a safe working environment for their employees.

"You mourn the people who lost their lives but the families that they leave behind to pick up the pieces and how it effects them and their communities, it is the ultimate tragedy," said David Kearns, OSHA Boise area director. "We need leaders in the community, we need employers to give back to the community and make this a priority."

The industry with the most work-related fatalities is construction. In 2014, 874 construction workers lost their lives on the job. To put that number into perspective, about one in five work-related fatalities for the calendar year 2014 involved the construction field. Construction workers are faced with a wide range of hazards on a daily basis, some of which include heat exhaustion, respiratory illness, suffocation, falls from elevated surface and more.

According to a recent report published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), eliminating the "Fatal Four" of construction would save roughly 508 workers' lives each year. So, what are the Fatal Four? This includes falls, electrocutions, struck by object, and caught in/between.

Of course, falls are at the top of the list for the most work-related fatalities in the construction industry. Construction workers are often required to work on catwalks and other elevated platforms. While OSHA has standards in place for fall protection, many employers neglect to follow these rules, placing workers at a greater risk for serious injury or death.

You can read more about work-related fatalities in the construction industry by checking out the official OSHA website at https://www.osha.gov/oshstats/commonstats.html.