Construction workers need ongoing training on “Fatal Four”

The construction industry has some of the highest on-the-job fatality rates in the United States, with 796 reported deaths in 2013. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), one in five private industry worker fatalities were in construction. Most of these deaths can be attributed to the “Fatal Four” — falling, being struck by an object, being electrocuted or getting trapped between two surfaces.
It is vital construction workers receive sufficient safety training before beginning their work, and that they receive ongoing education opportunities throughout their careers. Providing your staff with access to online training courses, like those from Mastery Technologies, could quite literally mean the difference between life and death. In fact, according to OSHA, training employees to properly follow safety procedures to prevent accidents involving the Fatal Four would save 468 lives every year.

• Being struck: Eighty-two construction workers died last year after being struck by an object — one in 10 of all on-the-job deaths in the industry.
• Electrocution: Seventy-one employees at construction sites were fatally electrocuted in 2013.
• Falling: OSHA reports falling is the leading cause of worker deaths in the construction field, with 294 deaths last year alone. The group is currently cracking down on violations that could lead to fatal falls. “We’re working with employers, workers, industry groups, state OSH plans, and civic and faith-based organizations to host safety stand-downs that focus on recognizing hazards and preventing falls,” Assistant Secretary of Labor Dr. David Michaels says in a press release. “We are getting the message out to America’s employers that safety pays and falls cost.”
• Getting trapped: In 2013, 21 victims died after becoming caught in between two objects, such as a steel plate and a pipe casing.

Each of these hazards is unique and requires concerted training efforts to prevent related accidents. Browse Mastery Technologies’ course offerings featuring the construction industry, as well as those that focus specifically on OSHA Construction regulations.