Construction Industry : The Most Hazardous Industries

Over the past five years, as the economy continues to improve, a growing number of workers are returning to jobs in construction. Historically, an increase in employment means that more workers are exposed to hazards that will likely result in more serious and fatal injuries. Among the top four reasons construction workers are injured, falls remain the leading cause of fatal injury (Bethancourt, 2017). Nevertheless, falls are the leading cause of death in construction. According to OSHA, all construction workers exposed to fall hazards more than 6 ft must be provided fall protection in the form of a guardrail, safety net or personal fall arrest system. OSHA (2010) has also stated that personal fall restraint, when applied correctly, is acceptable

The right to a safe and healthy workplace is one of the legal guarantees that employees in the United States have under workplace rights. Furthermore, Health and safety is one of the most important aspects in the internal environment for an organization. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is an organization within the U.S. Department of Labor that created what is known as the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. The mission of OSHA and its act is to prevent work related injuries, illness, and death by setting rules, regulations, and standards for workplace health and safety. Since the establishment of OSHA and its Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, workplace fatalities have been cut by forty percent, and occupational injury and illness rates have been cut by sixty percent, proving their success in improving worker safety and health (1). OSHA has been able to accomplish this by implementing training programs for the employees within many different companies, but especially for those in construction and hard labor. They create these programs because they know that some working sites are more dangerous than others. For example, the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that those in the construction industries have a “4.6 in 100 chance of being injured on or getting sick from their jobs”

In this report I will describe facts of working at heights and working with excavation and trenches that the company has been reported most of the accidents in the last year. I strongly believe that this will help to build a risk low working space for the workers at our construction sites as we are responsible for our employees.

Contractors are responsible for the safety of their employees and the people near or at the work place. Part of their job is to ensure that equipment, materials, and the work environment is safe as well as make sure that the guidelines are being followed. In a construction site, it is important to be cautious around heavy equipment and power tools. When operating equipment while working at a construction site, protecting your body is very necessary. Creating a good work environment is also very important. This means all of the construction workers work together and looks out for one another to make sure the job is done right. These topics will be further explained.

All employees of Robinson’s Excavation are valued members of the organization which is why safety must always come first. The construction industry is traditionally a hazardous work environment, but with vigilance, dedication, and training, the dangers can be significantly reduced. In order to provide the employees of Robinson’s Excavation with a safe work environment, all employees, regardless of status, are required to follow and enforce all safety procedures, which are not all inclusive. Additionally, the following protocol is in compliance with all state and federal OHSA regulations.

There is so much money involved in carpentry and it’s just waiting to be claimed. This is why I plan to further my knowledge of carpentry maybe even master this magnificent skill. In 2012 there were about 901,200 carpenters employed and most of them work in the construction industry. Even though this is an excellent trade and career there are still some discomforts that come with this job, it may also be dangerous at times. We lift heavy materials and spend a lot of time on our feet or kneeling. Carpenters are also frequently in cramped spaces and often have to stand on ladders. It's not a surprise, then, that those who work in this occupation have a high rate of injuries that include falls, cuts and strained muscles. Construction zones are a dangerous space where many different sources of potential injury loom. Some of the jobsite dangers that pose a threat to a carpenter’s safety include: Power tool malfunctions, Collapsing beams and/or roofing Low hanging or exposed electrical wires. There are ups and downs to being a carpenter but at the end of the day it is still the trade I wish to

Falls from elevated heights are the leading deaths in the construction industry. They constitute 40% of all fatalities in the construction industry. Statistics have shown that every year the number of fatalities from falls to lower level is increasing instead of decreasing, despite all of the equipment and training is out there for employers. It is a very serious issue, not just in the construction industry but in all of the work force. OSHA has strict work practice for employers to protect their employees from unsafe conditions. OSHA has a National Safety Stand Down every year that focuses on fall protection. They have been successful in the past and continue to progress to reach their goal of 5 million workers, which would be over half of the construction workforce.

[1]. Goetsch, D. L. (2010). Construction Safety and the OSHA Standards. New Jersey, NJ: Pearson Education

Construction involves being really high off the ground, foundation trench collapses and equipment malfunctions. From building little house to building towers and skyscrapers takes hard work form hundreds of construction workers. Construction workers make sure everything will turn out perfect and try to avoid any complications by following the building plans. In the year 2016 a little more than 5,190 workers were killed on the job of construction. A estimate of ninety nine on average a week and more than fourteen deaths a day occurred on the job. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration also known as “OSHA” is a small Federal agency, that is responsible for the health and safety of employees lifes. For over four decades OSHA has come together with many organization to find different ways to have a more safe environment for workers, not only in construction but other careers that are just as dangerous. Construction involves so many tiny things that cause injury to many workers. Especially when dealing with electricity. Electricity in in the top eight percent for deaths in the United States. The highest percentage in construction is falls with thirty eight percent give or take. When individuals choose the career of construction they need to be aware of the risk that they will be experiencing; From falling objects,

Work site injury report: I got up late this morning…I had to make my children’s lunches…. they missed the bus…. I had to take them to school, one here the other there…I was forty-five minutes late to the work site and my team had to start without me. One of my best workers hurt his back trying to complete a two-man job. I should have been there. Safety requires of us to be proactive. This is a universal tool, if you will. We must always be aware of what is going on regardless of where we are and what we are doing, especially what others are doing around us. We see this everywhere we go. Whether we are aware of it or not it is a very big issue. We need to make safety a habit and we need to start right now!

Construction workers come into contact with situations that often deal with electricity. Sadly, approximately 400 people die each year due to exposure to electricity at high voltages. Electrocution and electrical shock are serious risks that many workers face when they work in or around construction sites. The person doesn't have to be a construction worker to be exposed to risky situations either. Anyone who works around power lines or has metal equipment around power sources is at risk.

HERITAGE Construction Company has made safety priority one since its inception in 1993 dedicated to the protection of its employees from on-the-job injuries. All employees of HERITAGE Construction Company have the responsibility to work safely on the job. The purpose of the plan is to supplement our existing safety and health program and to ensure that every employee who works for HERITAGE Construction Company recognizes workplace fall hazards and takes the

OSHA'S decision to issue new construction standards (1926.501) demonstrates an application of safety procedure through design. This new standard is aimed at saving or safeguarding the lives of workers working on residential construction sites. It aims at protecting the lives of those employees who are working at a height level beyond six feet from falling. Under this standard, the enforcers of the regulations expect all construction employers to adhere to three crucial steps to prevent falls. These steps include planning, providing, and training. Full compliance to these procedures will not only be in compliance with the OSHA safety procedures but will also keep the workers safe from injuries and even death (Bahr and Stallcup, 2003).

OSHA has started a Fall Campaign which is teaching ways to prevent falling and any other fatalities that may occur on the job site. They have a 3 step process, plan, provide and train. Plan ahead to accomplish the job safely, especially when working on scaffolding or working on any height. Provide the right equipment, less fatalities may occur if toting and using the right tools. Train everyone to use equipment safely and to stay aware of surroundings. These steps should help to prevent injuries and fatalities.

In the United States, construction has always been one of the most dangerous industries to work in. The number of fatalities that occur in this industry year after year demonstrate this. In 2014, 19.6% of worker fatalities, in private industry, were in construction (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015) despite the industry comprising only 6.8% of the total work force. This epidemic is not unique to the United States. Essentially every country faces similar problems regarding construction safety. For example, in 2004 the Australian construction industry employed approximately 8% of the countries workforce. However, workers compensation statistics indicated that the industry’s incidence rate was 28.6 per 1000 employees,