The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (“OSHA”) released recent statistics for the four leading causes of workplace deaths in the construction industry:
1. Falls (33.5%) – Adequate fall protection and training is key as many injuries and deaths involve falls from unprotected edges, floor holes, ladders, and scaffolding.
2. Struck-By Accidents (11.1%) – “Struck-by” accidents involve workers who are hit by another object. Common examples are collisions with vehicles or falling objects. Working in and around cranes and other heavy lifting equipment particularly present “struck-by” accident concerns.
3. Electrocutions (8.5%) – Watch out for exposed power lines and inadequate grounding.
4. Caught-In/Caught Between Hazards (5.5%) – Cave-in’s, getting caught in machinery, and becoming pinned between objects are frequent examples.
Together, these “fatal four” injuries account for more than half of construction worker deaths.
Sadly, on average, 14 workers die every day in the United States despite companies’ knowledge of the heightened risks to workers presented by workplace dangers like the fatal four.
If you or someone you love has suffered an injury due to a construction accident, contact an attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling 713-231-9360 or 1-888-229-5094 for a personal injury consultation.