ConstructConnect Blog

The construction industry is responsible for more fatal occupational injuries than any other industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2014 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, there 899 fatal injuries occurred in construction work. That’s one out of every five worker deaths.

Can you think of a commercial construction project that has been completed without the use of hand tools or power tools? Yeah, neither could I. Maybe it’s our familiarity with them or the fact that they are such a commonplace item on the construction site that hand tool and power tool safety often gets overlooked. Hand tools and power tools present a host of potential hazards such as flying objects, electrical shock, falling objects, punctures and lacerations. Here are 10 quick and easy tips for safely working with hand and power tools.

Earlier this month, Gilbane Building Co. proposed that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) should require construction workers to wear safety harnesses whenever they are working at a height of 6 feet or more above a lower level. This requirement is part of Gilbane’s safety program, which they claim has prevented 20 potential fatalities since 2011. It’s hard to argue with a company that has won multiple industry safety awards with a safety program that has resulted in 95% of projects completed having zero lost time injuries and 80% of projects finished with zero recordable injuries in 2015.

When it comes to construction safety, does your company take a reactive or proactive approach? For most companies, their safety programs probably contain a combination of the two approaches. Proactive in some ways, but reactive on other aspects of safety.

The construction industry continues to hold the top spot on a list that it isn’t proud of—total annual worker deaths. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ revised Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, there 4,821 fatal occupational injuries in the U.S. in 2014. (Note: This is the most recent year for which data is available.) In the construction industry there were 899 worker deaths, which is about 18.65% of total fatal work injuries. This is the largest number of construction worker deaths since 2008.

Regardless of how detailed your construction company’s safety plan is, and despite how in-depth and meticulous your training program is, accidents involving injuries can still occur. When a worker suffers an injury it is vital to have a first aid program in place. Because no two construction sites are exactly the same, you should design a jobsite specific first aid program so that your workers can receive the best possible care should they suffer an injury. Procedures for developing a jobsite specific first aid program should be a part of you overall safety plan. Each first aid program should be written down and copies should be kept on hand for reference, review and revision.