S A F E T Y & COM P LI A N C E | By Adrian Abad
How to Keep Workers SAFE on Construction Sites
The construction worksite presents numerous risks for employees, the first and foremost being the risk of falling.
Understand the hazards, their consequences and the measures you can take to create a better working environment on jobsites.
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orking in construction is an inherently hazardous activity with a high risk of accidents on site, as well as increasingly complex health and safety risks and hazards off site. This is why knowing the best ways to prevent jobsite hazards will put your business in the optimal position to continue to attract the best workers. The construction site presents numerous risks for employees, the first and foremost being the risk of falling. According to data from OSHA and the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries prepared by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top reasons for injuries at work in 2019 included: ˜ Transportation incidents, which increased the most since reporting of this caliber started in 2011 ˜ Falls, slips and trips, which increased by 11% ˜ Exposure to harmful substances or environments, which eventually led to the death of 642 workers, the highest figure since this census began ˜ Fatalities due to fires and explosions, although this is decreasing ˜ Unintentional overdoses due to nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol, which increased for the seventh consecutive year The worrying aspect of this, of course, is the fact that all but one of the above increased in the most recent year of reporting. Despite what we may perceive to be an overall increase in awareness and regulation in
all industries when it comes to worker health and wellbeing, the numbers point to the opposite. In addition to the top causes of fatalities listed above, it is worth highlighting several other potential risks that can lead to harm or injury: ˜ Lack of communication/ unclear training ˜ Objects that are likely to strike victims — such as falling/flying objects, vehicles or masonry walls — leading to 10.3% of accidents ˜ Electrocution, commonly due to contact with power lines or improper use of equipment, potentially linked to improper training ˜ Being caught between objects because of unsafe access/ egress, unsafe spoil pile placement, failure to inspect a trench and protective systems or no protective systems in place
CONSEQUENCES OF CONSTRUCTION HAZARDS Knowing the risks and hazards present in a construction environment doesn’t tell the full story from the human or economic point of view. In fact, beyond deaths or physical or mental harm, there is a high toll to pay for businesses that disregard the potential harmful impact of on- and off-site hazards. The immediate consequence of jobsite accidents is financial. According to a report by ResearchGate, as of 2002, the total costs of fatal and non-fatal injuries were estimated at $11.5
50 EQU IPMEN T TOD AY | September 2021
billion, making up 15% of the costs for all private industry. With an average cost of $27,000 per injury, this is a massive consequence of hazards that go unchecked in construction. It is also important to note that the average cost for an injury across all industries is only $15,000 by comparison. Moreover, employers can incur significant fines if found to be in violation of OSHA standards. Excluding de minimis violations where employers are simply verbally informed of where they are lacking, fines for other violations start from $13,494 and can go up to 10 times that amount for repeated violations. Another consequence of unsafe or stressful working conditions is more subtle. Mental health repercussions from stress, depression or anxiety are on the rise in the construction industry. Combined with any other type of illness causing employees to miss work, they have the potential to snowball into significant losses for projects. For workers, beyond the evident impact on personal health and well being, the impact of an accident can be monumental and even lead to the loss of livelihood for an entire family. This is especially true in minority communities, where often the main breadwinner is the injured worker. In addition to the loss of earnings, medical costs can be prohibitive and can have huge impacts depending on the employee’s medical coverage and the severity of injury or illness.
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HOW TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS AND KEEP WORKERS SAFE From a regulatory perspective, OSHA (www.osha.gov) imposes regulations for employers to provide a safe workplace. This includes but is not limited to: ˜ Ensuring that construction sites are free of recognized hazards as much as possible ˜ Complying with all standards, rules and regulations issued under the OSH Act ˜ Examining working conditions to ensure they comply with OSHA standards ˜ Providing safe tools and equipment and maintaining them to the best possible standard ˜ Ensuring accurate warnings are in place to highlight potential hazards to workers, including color codes, posters or labels ˜ Having clear operating procedures in place, which are updated as required and communicated clearly to employees ˜ Ensuring that training is given before any work is done on site, and that training is
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provided in a language and vocabulary that workers understand ˜ Having a hazard communication program if employees work with hazardous chemicals ˜ Providing medical exams and training Beyond the OSHA employer guidelines listed, there is the growing importance of ensuring health and well-being are looked after in the realm of mental illness. Employers have a moral duty to ensure working environments are as stress-free as possible, and free of discrimination and abuse of all kinds. Employers should also remain transparent and honest about hazards and incident reporting. Any accidents or injuries should be discussed openly with employees to ensure all parties take away lessons from what has happened. These discussions may lead to an information exchange that can ensure better practices in the future. ET Written by Adrian Abad, marketing manager at Vatix.
