The Calamities of Construction

THE CALAMITY OF CONSTRUCTION: Preventing Pitfalls in America's Most Dangerous Job A great many challenges face the American construction worker. They often work long and labor-intensive days, and unfortunately, they have a higher likelihood of being injured on the job site. With June being National Safety Awareness Month, let's look at the current state of injury in this field of work. Injuries-By the Numbers (2011 17.5% This is by far the highest number of fatalities in any field of work. The second highest is transportation of total annual worker fatalities were in the construction industry and warehousing, at 661 deaths. The Fatal Four These 4 accidents are responsible for 3 out of 5 fatalities in the construction industry. 35% 10% 2. Struck by Object 1.Falling Number of fatalities: 251 Number of fatalities: 73 The fall off a roof or a high scaffold Unsecured building materials or construction tools at times fall, leaving those on the ground in danger. is the most common accident in construction 9% 3% 3. Electrocutions 4. Caught In Between Number of fatalities: 67 Number of fatalities: 19 Dealing with faulty wiring or being near livewire can have devastating consequences. Unfortunately, between a rock and a hard place can be a literal expression on a construction site. Safety Tips for the Contractor Plan Ahead to Ensure Safety Provide the Right Equipment Train to Safely Use Equipment Accidents are further prevented when workers have proper training with safety Before starting a project, map out everything that will be done, and budget for all the safety equipment that will be needed to complete cach task. Safety is worth the cost Check with Occupational Safety & Health Administration to see what is necessary on your construction site. (Ex: To prevent equipment. Training your workers in hazard this, employers must provide fall protection, recognition can be the difference between proper ladders, scaffolds, and safety gear). life anddeath in a construction zone. Safety Tips for the Worker Lift Objects Properly Keep Your Wrists Neutral Balance the Weight of Your Tool Belt Bend your knees and keep your back straight when lifting heavy objects. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a construction worker's worst enemy. Avoid it. A tool belt can pull your body out of alignment, and when working at extreme heights that is a life-threatening risk! 5 Bizarre Construction Accidents Sadly, there are many other routes to injury than the 4 listed above. There are many injuries, from the macabre to the bizarre, that can happen on a construction site. Here are some examples: The Cement Truck Cleaner A man in southem California was deaning the inside of a concrete drum, when an 1.800 lb. chunk of concrete dislodged from the roof and crushed him. The space was so small in the drum, that it took paramedics two hours to retrieve him from under the concrete block. The Five Ton Machine "Struck by" injuries are the 210 most common injury in construction however the object doing the striking is rarely five tons. A large pipe was being moved on a construction site, and it hit a five-ton excavator, which then crushed the heavy machinery operator standing in front of it. The Nail to the Head A north Texas man was being handed a nail gun when it actually fired, sending a 4-inch long barbed nail directly into his brain. Despite how gruesome this injury sounds, the man made a miraculous recovery after surgery, and did not lose any motor or communicative skills. The Man Who Fell From Heaven A construction worker fell 6 stories as a result of sketchy scaffolding. But what makes this story so bizarre is that he fell onto another construction worker on the ground floor of the site. This unfortunate event resulted in one death, and one person in serious condition. The Drowning Elevator Two construction workers nearly drowned in an elevator as a result of flooding that filled up most of the compartment. The two men had to stand on top of a supply cart, in order to keep their heads above water, as they waited for help. If there were one place you wouldn't expect to drown, it would be in an elevator! Top Reasons for Injury Scaffolding Fall Protection Construction Hazard Communication Protection Respiratory Construction Control of Electrical - Wiring Hazardous Energy Methods & Components Truck Regulation Powered Industrial Improper Ladder Use Electrical Machine Systems Design Guarding With so many avenues of risk on a construction site, it is of the utmost importance to remember proper safety and regulation; cautionary prevention methods are the only things that save a life when an accident occurs. O equipsupply http://www.osha.govloshstats/commonstats.html http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/201 3/01/29/man-killed-cleaning-cement-truck-in-tracy/ http://www.safetynewsalert.com http://www.foxnews.com/health/201I /08/14/construction-worker-shot-in-head-with-4-inch-nail/ http://www.safetyservicescompany.com/blog/5-safety-tips-for-construction-workers-on-avoiding-stress-and-injury IMIN