Construction safety

Construction work is a hazardous land-based job. Some construction site jobs include: building houses, roads, tree forts, workplaces and repair and maintain infrastructures. This work includes many hazardous task and conditions such as working with height, excavation, noise, dust, power tools and equipment. The most common fatalities are caused by the fatal four: falls, struck by object, electrocutions and caught-in/between. Construction work has been increasing in developing and undeveloped countries over the past few years. With an increase in this type of work occupational fatalities have increased. Occupational fatalities are individuals that pass way while on the job or performing work related tasks. Within the field of construction it is important to have safe construction sites.

In 2014, the United States had 4,679 fatal occupational injuries; incidence rate of 3.3 per 100,000 full-time employed workers. In the same year, fatal work injuries in construction and extraction occupations increased 5%. One in five workers died in 2014 were due to construction related deaths. Construction has about 6% of U.S. workers, but 17% of the fatalities - the largest number of fatalities reported for any industry sector. In the United Kingdom, the construction industry is responsible for 31% of fatalities at work and 10% of major workplace injuries. I In South Africa there are 150 fatalities and approximately 400 injuries each year related to construction sites. In Brazil, the incidence rate for all occupational fatalities is 3.6 per 100,000. (Little to no information regarding construction fatalities could be found in Asia, South American, Africa, and Antarctic). The chart below contains more countries and the rate of construction site fatalities.

The leading safety hazards on construction sites include: falls, caught between objects, electrocutions, and struck by objects. All four of those hazards have caused injuries and deaths throughout the world of construction sites. Failures in hazard identification are often due to limited or improper training and supervision of the construction site workers. Examples of areas were there are limited training includes: tasks in design for safety, safety inspection, and monitoring safety. Failure in any of these areas can result in an increased risk in exposing workers to harm in the construction environment.

Falls are the leading cause of injury in the construction industry, is particularly for elder and untrained construction workers. In the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Handbook (29 CFR) used by the United States, fall protection is needed in areas including but are not limited to: ramps, runways, and other walkways; excavations; hoist areas; holes; form-work; leading edge work; unprotected sides and edges; overhand bricklaying and related work; roofing; precast erection; wall openings; floor openings such as holes; residential construction; and other walking/working surfaces. Other countries have regulations and guidelines for fall protections to prevent injuries and deaths. Therefore, it is important that construction sites are safe as possible for the workers.

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