OSHA credits struck-by hazards as a leading cause of fatal injuries and the chief cause of non-fatal Injuries within the construction sector. In 2019, 170 deaths were the result of struck-by injuries and almost half of them involved moving transport vehicles.
• How often are you speaking to your teams about struck-by hazards?
• How often are risk assessments being performed?
• How confident are you that your employees are as visible as possible?
Struck by incidents are the most investigated work zone incidents. Once an assessment is performed it offers opportunities to improve worker safety. One element of worker safety is requiring the proper PPE, including wearing High Visibility clothing. High Visibility clothing creates greater visibility of workers within the work zone. This could reduce the likelihood of struck-by incidents.
Statistics:
- #1 cause of non-fatal injuries
- 9.4% of construction fatalities
- 2nd highest cause of worker fatalities
- Avg per death worker costs $15M
- Total workers compensation cost $1.7B
OSHA recommends High Visibility garments as a prevention tactic.
Many of these injuries or accidents include passive involvement. It is often the workperson in the work zone or radius that gets injured, not the workperson operating the machinery or equipment. By increasing visibility of these tradespeople, you’re offering them greater protection.
ASSESSING THE THREE P’S
Protection
• Is there currently a site or location ANSI-107 requirement?
• Is there a current detailed hazard analysis?
• Have there been any struck-by incidents?
• What are the primary hazards contributing to the importance of being visible?
• Will hi-vis orange or yellow be more conspicuous?
Purpose
• Do employees use tools, phone, tablet, etc. while wearing hi-vis protection?
• Does hi-vis protection designate a worker’s role?
• Can dropped objects become a hazard that needs to be addressed?
• Are credentials or ID required to be visible?
• Will radio or other communication be required?
Performance
• What are reasons hi-vis protection is replaced?
• How long does hi-vis protection currently last?
• Are environmental factors a concern?
This article republished with permission from Radians. View our other blog posts related to Personal Protective Equipment.
