The Construction Industry's 'Fatal Fours'

Construction is the backbone of our nation's infrastructure. It's responsible for the creation of residential and commercial buildings, while simultaneously generating over 2.5 million jobs. However, construction is also susceptible to the "fatal fours."

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published an article that identifies the leading four cases of deaths in the construction industry. Known as the fatal fours, it consists of the following:

1. Falls – 279 out of 806 total deaths in construction in CY 2012 (34.6%)
2. Struck by Object – 79 (9.8%)
3. Electrocutions – 66 (8.1%)
4. Caught-in/between – 13 (1.6%)

Assuming these numbers are correct (which OSHA's data is usually pretty accurate), more than a third of all deaths in the construction industry involve falls. In 202, there were 279 reported deaths involving falls in the construction industry. That's a pretty alarming statistic that should serve as en eye-opener to construction workers everywhere. The report also reveals that 79 construction workers lost their lives from being struck by an object, 66 workers died from electrocutions, and 13 workers died from being caught in between.

Construction work may include "new work, additions, alterations, or maintenance and repairs. Activities of these establishments generally are managed at a fixed place of business, but they usually perform construction activities at multiple project sites. Production responsibilities for establishments in this sector are usually specified in (1) contracts with the owners of construction projects (prime contracts) or (2) contracts with other construction establishments (subcontracts)."

So, how can owners and executives of construction companies reduce the risk of fatal fours? There are several different ways to create a safer working environment, one of which is training. Far too many companies hire inexperienced and/or unqualified workers, hoping to save some money by paying them less. In the end, however, this move usually comes back to haunt them. If a worker happens to get injured due to the owner's neglect or safety violation, OSHA may issue a citation.

A safe construction environment begins with thorough training. Make sure workers are fully trained to carry out their duties, and that they have access to the appropriate safety gear (e.g. hard hat, steel-toe boots, gloves, noise-cancelling headphones, etc.).

Another step in prevent the fatal fours is to ensure workers are given breaks. We've talked about the dangers of fatigue in the workplace before on our blog, but it's worth mentioning again that fatigue can prove to be fatal, especially when it involves the construction industry.