Did you know? Falls are the leading cause of death in construction. In 2016, the U.S. construction industry saw 991 fatalities. Falls can happen from any height — roofs, scaffolds, ladders and more. Many of these deaths are preventable by following construction safety guidelines from safety organizations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
The construction industry in general has more deaths than any other industry in the United States. In fact, in the last full year for which statistics are available, 2016, the construction industry had more than 21 percent of all worker fatalities—meaning one out of five worker deaths occurred in the construction industry. Construction’s “fatal four” causes of death are falls, followed by struck by object, electrocution, and caught-in-between.
One important way to prevent construction fatalities resulting from falls is to provide the right fall protection equipment for workers, including the right types of scaffolds, ladders and other safety gear. Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS) have harnesses designed to protect construction workers who are working at heights of six feet or more from serious injury and death. However, even fall protection equipment will not provide protection for construction workers if it is not used correctly.
In addition to using the right safety equipment, construction workers must also be properly trained to use this equipment. OSHA provides these tips for ladder, scaffold and roof safety along with these safety materials and resources for employers to train their employees to become aware of fall dangers.
We want your construction clients to stay safe on the job site. Proper training can prevent deaths from falls, so please pass these fall safety tips along to your clients. We are here to discuss any liability insurance needs for your construction clients. We also handle complete liability packages for environmental contractors. Contact us for a consultation. http://www.csunderwriters.com/
