3.

Accidents in construction industry

The construction industry has been identified as one of the most
hazardous industries in many parts of the world, as measured by work-related
mortality, workers compensation, injury and fatality rates. From commercial
to small-scale residential, construction sites can be dangerous places. No
matter how safe you think your construction site is, accidents are inevitable.
In construction industries there a lot types of accidents happened and
all those accidents are always things to happen with workers on construction
site. Plus, it got causes why the accidents can actually happened.

3.1

Types of accidents
3.1.1
3.1.2
3.1.3
3.1.4
3.1.5
3.1.6
3.1.7
3.1.8
3.1.9
3.1.10

3.2

Falling from height

Falling at same level
Hit by falling object
Buried under falling earth/ structure
Electric shock
Drowning
Hit by vehicle
Inhalation of toxic chemicals
Contact with moving machinery
Crushed / stuck between objects

Causes of Accidents

Type of
Accidents
Falling from
height

Causes of Accidents

Falling at
same level

-Poor house keeping

-Lack of proper housekeeping programme
-No designated area for storage of equipments
-Poor housekeeping
-No toe-board on work platform

Hit by falling
object

-No fencing of hazardous work area

- Lack of workplace / equipment maintenance
-No prior inspection of workplace / equipment
-Installation of equipment by incompetent persons
-No provison of safety harness
-Faulty design of structure / stairs
-Use of damaged stairs /scaffold
-Use of unsuitable stairs / scaffold
-Improper position of stairs / scaffold

Buried under
falling earth/
structure

Electric shock

Drowning

Hit by Vehicle

-No overhead protection

-No installation of safety net
-Improper lifting techniques
-No installation of earth support
-No guidelines and safe work procedures
-Overloading
-Faulty design of structure
-Use of unsuitable/ damaged scaffolding
-Position of scaffold in unsuitable
-Position of scaffold is unsuitable
-No proper maintenance of work area/ scaffold
-No prior inspection of work are/ scaffold
-Erection of scaffold by incompetent persons
-Contact with electricity current due to faulty
conductor
-Use of electrical equipment that are damaged or
modified
-No earthling
-No provision of suitable PPE
-Lack of proper ventilation
-No exhaust system
-Lack of guidelines and SOPs
-Presence of excessive water
-Untrained, unknowledgeable and inexperienced
workers
-No designated passage for pedestarian / workers
-No guards/ fencing to separate vehicle routes
-No traffic related rules and enforcement in the
premises
-No inspection of vehicles
-No proper vehicle maintenance
-Inexperienced and untrained drivers

Inhalation of
toxic
Chemicals

-Failure to wear proper respiratory protection

-Insufficient ventilation
-No exhaust system
-Untrained and inexperienced workers

Contact with
moving
machinery

-No guards
-Use of damaged / faulty guards
-Lack of training for workers
-Unsuitable design of guards
-Guards placed in effective positions

3.3 Action to Solve Accidents and Injuries Problems in Construction Sites

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA), one out of every five workplace deaths is a construction worker.
Construction, however, can be a safe occupation. Workers must be aware of
the hazards, and use an effective safety and health program. Here are some
more specific ways construction employers and employees can take action in
order to solve the accident problem at a construction site.
3.3.1

Provide safety training for all employees.

Employers should educate employees on all workplace safety

standards and the hazards that they may face while on the job. Workers need to
review the health and safety policies for each job they are called to do. The
written safety policy should include procedure and the name and location of a
trained first aid responder. Employees should not operate any equipment they
are not qualified or trained to use. Worker training that focuses on proper
usage of personal fall arrest systems, company fall prevention policies, and
OSHA standard requirements for fall prevention can all prevent accidents and
near-misses on the job. Worker training that accounts for a variety of different
adult learning styles will help trainers or employee reach audience and may be
more effective.

Figure 1: Safety training by employer to his workers

3.3.2

Hold frequent crew safety meetings.

At some workplaces these meetings should be held daily, for example,

if high-risk work is being done. Employees should be reminded to stay
focused and relevant issues should be addressed. Real-life factual and job
specific safety information tends to be more motivating for workers.
Employers with good safety records typically hold mandatory safety meetings
at the start of each day to ensure safety is top-of-mind. These meetings provide
a good opportunity to update workers on what will be happening that day and
if any new equipment or machinery will be in use. Holding a safety meeting at
the start of each day will ensure all workers are on the same page. In the safety
meeting, employer can mention changes to the jobsite as well as what
machinery will be used in different areas of the site throughout the day.
3.3.3

Utilize protective clothing and gear.

Workers should always wear the recommended safety equipment for

their jobs. This may be a hard hat, high-visibility clothing, goggles, gloves,
steel-toed shoes, or a protective suit. In the summer, outdoor workers need
wide brim hard hats, nape protectors, and long sleeve-lightweight shirts to
protect them from the suns rays. As an employer, they should require
everyone on the job site to wear the proper safety gear including hard hats and
eye protection. Likewise, harnesses should be used for all workers working on
rooftops and scaffolding. Hard hats, eye and hearing protection, and proper
harnessing for workers on rooftops and scaffolding will prevent both shortand long-term injuries.

Figure 2: Worker wearing harness during working on site

3.3.4

Keep the workspace clean.

Keeping work areas clean and free of debris will lessen the chances of
construction worker injuries and help prevent worksite accidents such as slips,
trips, and falls. Employees should store tools and materials when finished with
a job. Walkways should be kept clear of debris to prevent accidents that
include slips and falls.
3.3.5

Maintain the equipment and tools.

Before using a piece of equipment or machinery, workers must ensure

it is in proper working order. Tools and machinery should be kept on a regular

inspection schedule. Workers have been known to get trapped in or under
heavy equipment that was not working properly. Broken parts and
malfunctioning gear can also cause serious injuries and deaths.
3.3.6

Prevent falls.
Falls are the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry. It is

important that workers are protected from falls on the job. The installation of
fall protection systems can protect construction workers. These systems should
consist of such items as guardrails, toe boards, screens, canopy structures or
nets. Scaffolding can prevent falls, but must be installed properly to make sure
it is constructed well enough to hold the intended weight load. After it is put
up, scaffolding must be inspected regularly.
3.3.7

Recognize the hazards and make a plan.

Before any project starts, the site should be inspected for any unusual

hazards. A risk assessment can protect workers health and safety. After
completing the risk assessment, a list of preventive measures should be made
and implemented. It is important to ensure that all workers receive appropriate
information, education, and training.
3.3.8

Be careful with vehicles.

Many fatal accidents on work sites involve vehicles. Defensive

driving, parking and backing should be practiced.
3.3.9

Use equipment in the manner prescribed.

If construction tools or equipment is used in ways for which it is not

designed, the manufacturers built in safety features can no longer be relied

on. Misusing equipment may also damage the equipment and cause employee
injuries. The equipment itself should meet OSHA standards.
3.3.10 Follow OSHA guidelines and report any dangerous working
conditions.
Employers and employees who cut corners on the procedures and rules
of OSHA increase the risks for construction site injuries. Any incidents or
violations of OSHA regulations should be recorded and reported for the safety
of all involved.
3.3.11 Regular Breaks
Make sure all workers take regular breaks to reduce the chances of
accidents due to exhaustion. A good employer is someone that can tolerate
with their employee in terms of giving a break to them because most of the
work activities in construction work need a lot of energy and stamina such as
brick work activities. Hence, the employee need a break to prevent from
affects their safety and health at a workplace.
3.3.12 Reflective apparel
High-visibility clothing and vests reduce the chances of construction
vehicles or those of the public striking workers.

Figure 3: Worker wearing safety vase

3.3.13 Make Smart Use of Safety Technology
Apps can provide advice and useful information for workers faced with
work site hazards that can lead to falls. Apps can also provide training and upto-date OSHA information, so workers will always be well informed. There
are a variety of apps that can help workers stay safe and avoid falls on the job
site such as NIOSH Ladder Safety App Users Manual (available in Android
and iOS), because it uses visual and audio cues from the environment to help
construction workers safely position their ladders at an appropriate angle. The
application also contains a variety of reference materials to help workers using
ladders make smart, safe choices.
3.1.14 Plan Ahead
Knowing the parameters of a project before starting construction work
can help to provide the right safety materials for workers. Before beginning
work, determine the maximum heights from which work will be conducted,
which materials will be necessary to keep workers safe from those heights,
and how fall protection materials will factor into employers budget. Having a
concrete plan in place when begin the work will help to avoid missteps that
could lead to accidents. If employers having trouble planning their projects,
consider investing in construction management software.

3.1.15 Conduct a Workplace Safety Audit

Figure 4: Safety audit form sample

Conduct a workplace safety audit that focuses on identifying
weaknesses in the existing fall protection program. Workplace safety audits
happen in four parts.

Report: Write a report of the existing safety program. Highlight

strengths as well as weaknesses, and make recommendations
for change. Set a deadline for the implementation of changes.
Make a copy of the report for the companys files and hand

over the report to all relevant parties.

Preparation: Assemble all documents relating to records of
trainings, fall-related incidents and injuries, fall protection
policies

and

local,

state,

and

federal

fall

protection

requirements.
Review: Observe the current fall protection program in its
current state, and review all the existing documents that were
assembled during the preparation phase. Inspect the condition
of safety equipment like nets, railings, and harnesses, and
assess the practices relating to storage and maintenance of this

equipment.
Follow Up: With recommendations and deadlines in place, the
final step of the safety audit is to follow up on the required
changes after the deadlines to ensure that all changes have been
made.

4.0 CONCLUSION

To conclude, whatever sort of construction company you are, there is always the
possibility of an accident or damage to someone's health. All work exposes people to
hazards, be they: loads which have to be manually handled; dangerous machinery;
toxic substances; electricity; working with display screen equipment or even
psychological hazards such as stress. In order to make a good practice of safety and
health, a company must develop a safety and health policy. A health and safety
policy is a written statement by an employer stating the company's commitment for
the protection of the health and safety of employees and to the public. It is an
endorsed commitment by management to its employees regarding their health and
safety.
Although if the person in overall control of his or her business particularly in
construction industries, 'the buck stops with you', that person cannot achieve a safe
and healthy working environment on their own. It has to be a team effort and they
need to consult their employees and, where appointed, their safety representatives.
Their need to get proper health and safety co-ordination going with other businesses
with which their come into contact such as clients, customers, suppliers or
contractors. Their need to build ownership and commitment to safety throughout your
workforce. Every employer and employee supposed to take action together in order to
prevent accidents at workplace is lead to be happen. For instance, employer giving a
break to his employee so that no exhaustion problem will rise.
Above all, employer need to remember that besides protecting people and the
environment, action on health and safety can also make a major contribution to
business success. Not only will it help stop accidents and work related ill health
among their staff, but it will reduce their accident losses, improve profit and loss
statement and help that employer become more efficient. Employer should not think
accidents and occupational ill health can't happen in their company. Above all don't
wait for things to go wrong and then go for the 'quick fix'. Build health and safety in
from the start. They must don't delay by make time and space to get started today.