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Safety violations make construction one of the most dangerous industries out there. Construction accidents result in thousands of deaths every year and thousands more injuries. In 2014 alone, 4,821 workers lost their lives while at work. A little more than 20 percent of those killed worked in construction.
There are numerous dangers on a job site that can cause injury or death, but there are four causes that outnumber all the rest. The “fatal four,” as they’re sometimes called, are the four most common causes of work accidents in construction.
What Are the Fatal Four?
The fatal four include:
Falls – Falls are by far the most common and deadliest of the fatal four. Nearly 40 percent of all construction-related deaths involved a serious fall.
Electrocution – Electrocution is the second most common cause of construction fatalities. A little more than 8 percent of construction deaths were caused by electric shock.
Struck by object – About 8 percent of construction fatalities were the result of being struck by a flying or falling object.
Caught-in/between – Deaths related to being caught in machinery or between objects accounted for just under 2 percent of construction accidents.
The fatal four were responsible for almost 60 percent of all construction-related deaths in 2014. If they could have been eliminated, 518 workers might have been saved.
How Can We Stop the Fatal Four?
The best way to prevent more people from being killed in construction accidents is to better educate them. Providing more safety education as well as stronger discipline for safety violations could go a long way towards saving lives.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is responsible for enforcing safety regulations. According to OSHA, there is approximately one compliance officer for every 59,000 workers in this country, meaning we have to do more for ourselves.
The Columbus construction accident lawyers at Larrimer & Larrimer LLC have been helping the loved ones of those killed in construction accidents for many years, and know what it takes to get you the help you need.