Avoid the Fatal Four construction dangers. They kill more workers on job sites than any other. Listen and hear how to avoid them.
Over 58% of construction fatalities in 2013 resulted from Caught-in/Between accidents; Electrocutions; Struck-By Object accidents; and Falls. In this podcast, Dan Clark details the statistics from OSHA.
Dan also gives tips on what both employers and workers can do to avoid the Fatal Four.
TRANSCRIPT:
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Dan Clark: Construction work sites pose many safety risks, but four hazards are responsible for the majority of fatal accidents at those sites. Stick around. I’ll tell you about the Fatal Four, and how to avoid them.
Hello, I’m Dan Clark of The Safety Brief. This is where we talk about health and safety hazards in today’s demanding industrial and construction worksites, a service of Creative Safety Supply. Save 10% off your entire order at creativesafetysupply.com with coupon code SAFETYBRIEF. One word, SAFETYBRIEF.
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What are the Fatal Four? OSHA’s most recent stats say that these categories of accidents make up a majority of the fatalities at construction sites.
• CAUGHT-IN/BETWEEN accidents caused 2½% of the fatalities at construction sites.
• ELECTROCUTIONS – almost 9%.
• STRUCK-BY AN OBJECT – at over 10%.
• FALLS are responsible for a whopping 37% of fatalities.
(1:07)
What can workers and workplaces do to avoid these? The worst first:
#1 FALLS
Employers: Install guardrails, cover holes, use warning lines with flags.
Workers: Wear your personal fall arrest system, if it’s required.
#2 STRUCK-BY OBJECT – This category includes flying objects, falling objects and being struck by vehicles.
Employers: Have a plan for your vehicle safety on your site that includes backup alarms and hand signals. Make sure competent people check that loads are stable, especially when you’re lifting loads with a crane.
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Workers: When working at heights, don’t leave tools sitting out. Wear a hard hat. Wear the bright yellow and orange vest, if you’re given one. Be aware of vehicles and large objects around you.
#3 ELECTROCUTIONS
Employers: Have a lockout tagout program. Have somebody check electrical equipment on a regular basis to make sure it’s set up properly and not damaged.
Workers: Observe and respect lockout tagout. Be careful when using extension cords, and don’t remove the ground pin from a plug. Also, be careful during wet conditions, and stay at least 10 feet away from overhead power lines.
(2:23)
#4 CAUGHT-IN/BETWEEN – This includes being caught by large machinery such as cranes, machines with moving parts, and trenches.
Employers: Again, have a vehicle safety plan. Make sure that pedestrians stay out of a crane swing radius. Put machine guards on all machines with dangerous moving parts, and stabilize the areas around trenches and excavations to prevent cave-ins.
Workers: Follow protocols using tools and machinery. When in doubt, assume a driver or crane operator can’t see you and stay out of the way.
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That’s it for this episode on Avoid The Fatal Four. Come back for more ways to stay safety compliant in today’s ever-changing landscape of safety requirements. I’m Dan Clark of The Safety Brief, a service of Creative Safety Supply. Save 10% off your entire order at creativesafetysupply.com with coupon code SAFETYBRIEF (no spaces) SAFETYBRIEF.
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