Working on a Missouri construction site is naturally dangerous. There is a lot going on and hazards are just a general part of the job. However, there are four hazards that tend to cause the most injuries. This is why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has referred to them as the fatal four. The fatal four include falls, struck by object, electrocutions and caught in or between accidents.
Falls were the most fatal with 38.7 percent of deaths on construction sites being caused by them. Struck by object accidents were responsible for 9.4 percent of deaths, electrocutions for 8.3 percent and caught in or between accidents for 7.3 percent. Of all fatal workplace accidents, 21.1 percent were construction workers. These figures are for 2016 as provided by OSHA.
These figures are not exactly surprising because the fatal four also compromise the most commonly reported safety violations. Related issues, such as scaffolding issues, problems with communication and training issues all relate to the fatal four. While OSHA conducts a large number of inspections each year, it cannot check out every worksite. This is why workers like you are relied on to report issues.
It is estimated that if the fatal four were eliminated through better safety standards and better adherence to safety standards that it could save the lives of 631 people every single year. You can start help with stopping the fatal four from taking more lives by being more aware of these safety issues and reporting any issues you see on your job site. This information is for education and is not legal advice.
