In the construction industry, fatal injuries are very common. It is believed that it is more common than in any other industry. According to a general estimation, one in every 5 occupational injuries happens in construction work.
The construction work is quite rigorous and hence needs more human effort. In the construction of any building, workers need to climb heights to carry the loads and perform heavy-duty tasks. Some of the tasks are more dangerous that including working with electric wires or in some mining areas where the chemical exposure is extreme. Along with that some other major causes of injuries may be the negligence of safety precautions and using the heavy equipment without any care.
Here, in this article, we have listed some major causes of injuries that may lead to death. All the construction contractors and heavy equipment dealers must know about the mitigation of these risks.
1. Falling from height
It is one of the main reasons for fatalities at the construction site. The workers working on the height of the building may experience this incident if they are not following any safety precautions. Among all the fatalities that occur on construction sites, the fatality from falling is more common.
The construction contractor and the site manager are responsible to ensure the safety precautions on the site. OSHA has set regulatory measures to follow for the workers that work up to the height of more than 9 feet. The managers should install a fall protection system on the site and make sure that all the workers are pretty aware of them. The training can be provided to them. The fall protection system includes a safety net system, guardrails, and personal fall arrest. Contractors may also use technologies to monitor the work very closely while a worker is working on height.
2. Caught in Scaffolds
The workers working on the scaffold or the framework of the building, need to be very careful. The scaffold material may fall off or hit the worker standing on the ground. Before going into the scaffolding, make sure you are wearing a hard hat that may resist the falling object to hit your head. Before landing any worker on the scaffolding, make sure to check everything and provide all the necessary protection equipment.
3. Ladder Hazards
It is very common in construction to use a ladder to reach up to a certain height. The worker use ladder to transfer the loads on the height, sometimes. The injury is common in this regard if the use of a ladder is taken for granted.
Managers should provide training on the use of ladders explaining the ladder hazards and other possible risks of using a ladder. The trainer should also demonstrate the load capacity on any ladder. Workers should be aware of the load-bearing capacity of any ladder. If the ladder is made of wood, then the particular amount of load must not be exceeded the limit.
4. Electrocutions
Sometimes, the construction site is highly prone to electrical hazards. The power cables and other electric circuits are scattered and penetrated on the ground or even around the building. The workers get tangled in them and lose their life in the glance of time.
The manager should identify all the scattered locations of the power cables, label them and keep them under the notice of the workers. Besides that, make sure the workers have all the necessary protection kit. Make sure to follow all the safety precautions when using electric-operated heavy equipment, as negligence may also cause fatalities.
5. Chemical hazards
Some construction sites have very strong emissions of harmful and hazardous chemicals. In this case, the workers may come in contact with them which may cause damage to the body parts which later may lead to death. The harmful radioactive rays emitting elements are common when working on any mining project. The manager should pre-inspect the site and know the level of chemicals in the atmosphere. The manager may take help from the hazard’s experts. Further, provide all the safety protection equipment to the worker to keep them safe.
Conclusion
The fatalities in the construction industry are very common and more than in any other industry. all the managers and heavy equipment dealers must know about the potential risk of the site and equipment that may cause the fatalities. In this article, we have mentioned a few most common reasons that cause occupational injuries to workers.
