A brick fell from the edge of second-floor scaffolding and hit a worker walking underneath squarely on his head. This injury incident caused unconsciousness, scalp lacerations, and cognitive issues. Can you think of at least three issues contributing to this accident?
OSHA’s “Focus Four” includes “struck by” incidents, which are a leading cause of fatalities in construction. These hazards occur when a worker is hit by a flying, falling, swinging, or rolling object such as tools, materials, heavy equipment, or debris.
Simple steps to prevent struck-by injuries include:
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Wearing appropriate PPE: Ensure workers use hard hats, safety glasses, and other protective gear.
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Using proper tools and equipment: Tether smaller tools to work belts to prevent them from falling, and use safety triggers on tools like nail guns.
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Inspecting equipment: Thoroughly inspect all tools and machinery before use, and never work under a suspended load.
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Creating safety zones: Establish clear pedestrian walkways and use barriers to keep workers away from heavy equipment and moving vehicles.
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Training workers: Provide comprehensive training on how to recognize hazards and implement prevention techniques.
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Securing everything: Properly secure all loads and materials to prevent them from falling or shifting unexpectedly.
In the case of the injury incident listed above, the worker was not wearing a hardhat, there was no toeboard on the scaffolding surface, a secure walking zone was not established on the construction site, and workers were not trained on struck-by hazards.
For great resources on “struck-by” injury prevention, please click the button below.
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