Top Dangers Lurking on Construction Sites

Forget about graveyards and spooky mansions. If you really want to see a scary location, look no further than the nearest construction site. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), construction can be considered the most dangerous industry in terms of workplace deaths. Watch out for the top dangers lurking around your construction sites.

Deadly Falls

It may be bad luck to walk under a ladder, but on a construction site, you should really worry about failing to comply with OSHA’s standards for ladders.

According to YouGov America, 28% of U.S. adults are afraid of heights. When you consider how many people are hurt and even killed in falls each year, this fear seems pretty reasonable. According to NSC, 805 workers died in falls in 2020 and 211,640 were injured badly enough that they needed to take days off from work.

OSHA says that falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry. In 2020, 351 workers died in falls to a lower level. That’s around one-third of the total 1,008 construction-industry deaths.

Fall safety is also a leading cause of OSHA violations. In fiscal year 2021, many of the most commonly cited standards were related to heights and falls.

Fall Protection, construction, was the most frequently cited standard.
Ladders, construction, was the third most commonly cited standard.
Scaffolding, construction, was the fifth most commonly cited standard.
Fall Protection Training, construction, was the sixth most frequently cited standard.

A single violation can result in a penalty of $14,502, and employers can be hit with a violation every day for failure to abate, so these fines can add up fast. For example, Construction Dive says that a Maine contractor is facing fines of more than $500,000 after inspectors found that employees were exposed to falls of 10 to 18 feet. The fines are being contested, but that could be an expensive penalty.

Respiratory Dangers

We tend to take the air we breathe for granted. The idea of not being able to breath, or of being harmed by the very air around us, is scary enough for a horror movie.

Unfortunately, on construction sites, respiratory hazards are a real threat. OSHA says that the possible dangers include lead dust and fumes, which can result from grinding, welding, cutting or brazing surfaces that have been coated with lead-based paint. Silica dust, solvent vapors and isocyanate vapors are also possible threats.

Some of these hazards cause a fast reaction, but some can cause lung cancer and other illness years or even decades later.

Construction site managers can help keep their workers safe by implementing engineering controls, work practice controls and administrative controls, as well as the use of appropriate respirators and a respiratory protection program. Unfortunately, some construction sites may not be doing enough to keep workers safe. Respiratory Protection, general industry, was the second most frequently cited OSHA standard in 2021.

Vehicles and Machinery

Even if machines aren’t possessed like the car in Stephen King’s Christine, they can still be very dangerous. When machines turn on unexpectedly, severe injuries can follow. On construction sites, workers also face dangers from being struck by, crushed by, or stuck between machinery.

In 2021, control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), general industry, was the seventh most frequently cited OSHA standard. Powered Industrial Trucks, general industry, was the ninth most frequently cited standard, and machinery and machine guarding, general industry, was the tenth most frequently cited standard.

Eye and Face Hazards

A lot of people look away when horror movies show eye gore. Our eyes are especially vulnerable, and the thought of an eye injury is alarming. Eye injuries can also lead to serious vision loss, so it’s a reasonable fear.

Construction site hazards can cause eye injury, so safety is important. However, Eye and Face Protection, construction, was the eighth most frequently cited OSHA standard in 2021.

Keeping Your Construction Site Safe This Halloween and All Year

October is a great time to review your construction site safety practices.

Are you in full compliance with OSHA’s most frequently cited standards? Save yourself a hefty fine – and possibly prevent an incident – by taking corrective action now.
Are you taking steps to reduce common construction-industry hazards? OSHA has information, tools and resources to help.

There’s one more frightening risk to watch out for – the financial exposure of not having the right New York construction insurance you need when you need it. BNC designs customized insurance and risk management packages for contractors. Learn more.