If you work construction, you know how hazardous your various work sites can be. But are you aware that construction work is so dangerous that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has compiled a list of the four most deadly kinds of accidents construction workers face?
Construction Connect reports that OSHA’s list, dubbed the Fatal Four, consists of the following types of accidents that kill the greatest number of construction workers each year:
- Falls
- Struck-by-objects
- Electrocutions
- Caught-in and caught-between
Falls
Given that you often must work on roofs, scaffolding and tall ladders, it should come as no surprise that falls are, by far, the greatest risk you face. Each year, falls cause 38.7% of construction fatalities nationwide.
Struck-by-objects
The objects that can strike you while you work include the following:
- Falling tools
•Swinging doors
•Flying debris
•Rolling machinery and equipment
Each year, struck-by-object accidents cause 9.4% of construction fatalities nationwide.
Electrocutions
Ranked as the third leading cause of construction deaths, electrocutions account for 8.3% of construction fatalities nationwide each year. Most of these deaths occur when a worker comes into contact with a power line or other source of high-voltage electricity.
Caught-in and caught-between
These types of accidents trap one or more of your body parts between two hard surfaces. Examples include getting caught in a moving conveyor belt, an elevator’s doors or mechanisms, or between a moving piece of equipment and a wall or other unforgiving surface. Each year, caught-in and caught-between accidents cause 7.3% of construction fatalities nationwide.
Taken together, these Fatal Four accidents account for 63.7% of construction worker deaths nationwide each year. Keep in mind that even if you survive these types of injuries, they likely will be serious enough to alter your life, perhaps forever.