Construction site accidents happen every day. Certain places and conditions, such as construction sites and industrial work zones, pose higher risks for accidents and injuries. Heavy machinery, heavy building supplies, equipment, and special trucks are in constant movement on many active work sites. Injuries resulting for inattention or carelessness with equipment can produce serious, life-threatening injuries within a split second. The spring and summer months are referred to as “high season” for accidents and injuries as roadside and outdoor construction activity peaks across the US.
Fortunately, a construction zone can also be one of the theoretically safer places to be if everyone onsite is alert, attentive, and consistently managing every action with safety in mind. Heightened precautions, use of safety equipment, and strict adherence to safety protocol can help to prevent the vast majority of construction site accidents.
Construction Site Accident Statistics
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that construction related accidents and injuries have been steadily declining since 2008. This could be attributed in part to advances in safety equipment, safety awareness among workers, and successful campaigns and site inspections completed by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) each year.
- Total Accident related Fatalities in Construction:
- 2008: 1,016, 2009: 879, 2010: 802, 2011: 759
- Construction Injury/Illnesses Rates (per 100 workers):
- 2008: 4.7%, 2009: 4.3%, 2010: 4.0%, 2011: 3.9%
- Construction Injury Rates Requiring 1 or More Days of Missed Work (per 100 workers):
- 2008: 1.7%, 2009: 1.6%, 2010: 1.5%, 2011: 1.5%
3 Simple Tips for Improving Construction Zone and Work Site Safety
- Hold Frequent Safety Meetings: Hold daily meetings on any high risk jobs, such as roadway or infrastructure work. On large sites, hold weekly safety meetings with each specialized work group (meet with one or two groups per day) and conduct a full site safety meeting weekly or bi-weekly. Facilitate communication between job groups so each worker knows who might be operating close by and when. Communication is key, awareness and accountability can increase when workers are able to follow and track concurrent stages of work on the site.
- Increase Worker Visibility: All workers on the ground should be visible and easy to spot from a distance. Encourage the use of fluorescent or vibrant colors. The most common statement on most serious accident summaries is: “I never saw them”. Use reflective safety vests on highway jobs at all times. Encourage or require only bright yellow or orange hard hats. Consider providing incentives for workers who consistently stand out with bright or fluorescent colors. Fluorescent yellow and orange are the most visible solid colors and still fit the mold of common construction apparel.
- Three-points of contact: The top cause of injury to drivers and heavy equipment operators is falling during ingress/egress of the cab or operator’s seat. Whenever the driver/operator is touching the equipment, he/she should maintain a minimum of three points of contact at all times, both feet and at least one hand at all times. The three-points of contact rule will help to reduce falls from equipment. Apply the same rule for any workers climbing or descending from heights or for workers in scaffolding, in addition to the use of harnesses.
References:
For Construction Pros – https://www.forconstructionpros.com/article/10931459/ten-tips-to-prevent-the-construction-accident-high-season
US Dept. of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics – https://www.bls.gov/iag/tgs/iag23.htm
