What Are the Fatal Four in Construction Accidents?

In recent years, one-fifth of job fatalities happened in the construction industry. Although there are numerous construction hazards, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) reports that there are a few main types of accidents that cause most injuries and deaths.

The “Fatal Four,” which includes falls, electrocutions, being struck by an object, and caught-in-between materials, are responsible for a substantial number of construction accidents. You may be entitled to compensation if you’ve sustained an injury or lost a loved one in a construction accident. Consider working with a trusted construction accident attorney from The Barnes Firm for legal guidance on pursuing compensation.

Fatal Four in Construction Accidents

Falls

Working at heights is a common part of construction jobs, which is why falls  from elevated surfaces cause numerous injuries and fatalities each year. Fortunately, construction companies can avoid fall hazards through employee training, proper plans, and adherence to safety standards.

Here are a few fall hazards in construction jobs:

• Floor openings: A floor opening or any gap in the floor often creates a hazardous situation for slip and fall injury. Fall openings may occur due to faulty design or outdated materials.
• Elevated Work Surfaces: Elevated work surfaces like ladders, platforms, or scaffolding create a substantial fall risk. Workers can avoid fall injuries using personal protective equipment (PPE) when working on raised work surfaces.
• Unprotected Edges: An unprotected edge is any surface that could cause a fall if someone were to slip or fall without warning. For example, an open staircase without a guardrail presents a fall hazard.

Electrocutions

An electric shock occurs when an electric current passes through a victim’s body. While a victim of an electric shock can recover, severe electrocutions can lead to fatalities.

The common hazards of electric shock include:

• An overhead power line
• Faulty wiring
• Overloaded circuits
• Failure to use fire-retardant equipment
• Operating electrical equipment in wet conditions
• Damaged equipment and cords

Getting Stuck By an Object

Getting stuck by an object injuries occur when an object hits someone while falling, swinging, or rolling, including a moving vehicle—for instance, a construction worker drops a sledgehammer from scaffolding and it lands on someone below.

Workers can minimize getting stuck by an object injury by wearing safety gear such as eyewear, hard hats, and reflective vests.

Caught-in-Between Hazards

You could sustain a caught-in-between injury if you’re working between two solid structures or equipment. For instance, a construction worker could be injured if they are caught in between a piece of machinery and the wall.

Common Types of Caught-in or Between Hazards in Construction

Buried in or By Hazards

The risk of cave-ins in unprotected trenches or excavations poses a significant danger of being buried for excavation workers. The excavation or unprotected trenches also expose workers to a hazardous atmosphere where a worker may drown in water, chemicals, and sewage.

Workers risk being buried and crushed by walls that collapse during demolition.

Pinned Between

Workers risk being pinned between equipment and a solid object like a wall, for instance, between stacked materials and a solid object such as a wall or equipment.

Pinned between hazards often results in broken bones, asphyxiation, and death.

Machinery With Unguarded Moving Parts

Construction work involves machinery with moving or rotating parts that require maintenance at some point during work. Injuries from being caught in or between hazards may occur if the machinery is not suitably guarded or de-energized during maintenance.

For instance, if a pulley is still running during repair, it may cycle or otherwise start up and catch a worker’s body part, leading to injuries such as amputations, fractures, or death.

How to Avoid the Fatal Four

The first step to avoiding construction accidents is through enhanced safety education. If you train your workers on construction, ensure they know proper safety procedures—for instance, a sensitization program to educate your workers concerning top risks.

Then, equip your workers with skills on how to reduce the risks. You should also combine the knowledge with action, including personal protective equipment.

Once your construction team understands the top risks, you should prioritize safety procedures.

Prioritize Safety Procedures

As a construction company, you should be vigilant about enforcing safety practices. Essential procedures for the safety of your workers include:

• Regular Compliance Checks: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) offers compliance guidance on its field’s operation manual. Ensure your construction company complies with applicable regulations, laws, and industry-specific requirements.
• Regular Inspection of Equipment Gear: Create a timetable that allows you to inspect your tools and equipment. Regular inspection ensures the tools are in good working condition to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries.

Safety Tips on the Construction Site

• Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling accessories with a risk of being caught in or on equipment or components at the job site.
• Ensure rotating and moving parts on machines and power tools—e.g., drums, chains, flywheels, and sprockets have proper guards.
• Adhere to maximum load guidelines for moving, storage, and lifting
• Increase your awareness of equipment and materials around you
• Keep a safe distance from swinging equipment
• Power down equipment and turn off vehicles when not in use, when changing accessories, or before cleaning to avoid being started on accidentally.
• Wear appropriate safety gear, including hard hats, gloves, hearing protection, and chemical splash goggles.
• Make suitable markings on travel paths and advise workers to follow them for loading, stacking, unloading, and storing materials.
• Construction employees should avoid working beneath earth-moving machinery or a crane operating over a trench or excavation.
• Construction companies should protect workers from equipment or material that risks falling or rolling into a trench or excavation.

Speak to an Experienced Construction Accident Attorney to Win Your Claim

If you’ve sustained a severe injury in a construction accident, you deserve compensation to cover medical expenses, lost income, and the psychological impact of the injury. You, therefore, deserve representation from an experienced attorney to enhance your chances of obtaining a fair settlement for your losses.

The Barnes Firm stands up for the rights of injured construction workers and families that suffered devastating losses. Contact us online or at (800) 800-0000 for a free case evaluation. Our legal team is ready to assist you, and we never charge fees unless you win compensation.

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Richard Barnes: “As President of The Barnes Firm, I have dedicated my career to achieving justice in hundreds of cases for the victims of injuries caused through the fault of others. Additionally, I have been honored to have been elected Best Lawyer and a Super Lawyer”

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