Construction Injury Newsroom

Potential Hazards For Workers In Construction

Occupational Safety and Health Administration U.S. Department of Labor
Construction:
Nearly 6.5 million people work at approximately 252,000 construction sites across the nation on any given day. The fatal injury rate for the construction industry is higher than the national average in this category for all industries. Potential hazards for workers in construction include:
• Falls (from heights);
• Trench collapse;
• Scaffold collapse;
• Electric shock and arc flash/arc blast;
• Failure to use proper personal protective equipment; and
• Repetitive motion injuries.

Scaffolding Hazard:
When scaffolds are not erected or used properly, fall hazards can occur. About 2.3 million construction workers frequently work on scaffolds. Protecting these workers from scaffold-related accidents would prevent
an estimated 4,500 injuries and 50 fatalities each year.

Fall Protection Hazard:
Each year, falls consistently account for the greatest number of fatalities in the construction industry. A number of factors are often involved in falls, including unstable working surfaces, misuse or failure to use fall protection equipment and human error. Studies have shown that using guardrails, fall arrest systems, safety nets, covers and restraint systems can prevent many deaths and injuries from falls.

Ladders Hazard:
Ladders and stairways are another source of injuries and fatalities among construction workers. OSHA estimates that there are 24,882 injuries and as many as 36 fatalities per year due to falls on stairways and ladders used in construction. Nearly half of these injuries were serious enough to require time off the job.

For More Information:
(Osha.gov)