Prevent Work Accidents with Proper Gear

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently released its report on the work standards which most frequently received citations from OSHA and labor standards inspectors. The top two most frequently cited standards involved scaffolding and fall protection in the construction industry.

In 2005, the latest year with available data, the National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries found that there were 88 fatalities on the average that were due to scaffolding accidents. In such accidents, 72% of the injured workers believed the cause of the accident included the worker slipping or being struck by a falling object.

There is a lot of work being done on scaffolds by approximately 2.3 million construction workers, who comprise about 65 percent of the entire construction industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that better protection for workers from scaffold-related accidents could help prevent many injuries and save $90 million in lost work time.

Safety in the construction industry has become a more urgent concern in 2008 because of an increase in accidents occurring at construction sites. Last April, for instance, a worker installing windows on a building under construction plummeted to the ground 23 floors below. Investigation showed that his nylon safety strap failed to secure him.

The OSHA has published detailed specifications on a variety of useful and necessary equipment to ensure the safety of construction workers. These include items as simple as safety straps, harnesses, cables and snap hooks which cost less than $20.

Construction workers can ensure their personal safety by seeing to it that they carry the proper personal protective equipment. Such equipment can help them avoid hazards in the workplace that cause injuries or even fatalities.

* Safety belts, straps, harnesses, and other devices to secure the worker to the scaffold or the building should always be used. Make sure the straps are in good condition.

* Hard hats should always be used in areas where objects may fall from above, or where workers may bump their heads on fixed objects, or there may be potential contact of the head with electrical hazards.

* Safety glasses and/or face shields must be worn when the worker performs operations that have the potential of foreign objects accidentally getting into contact with the eye, for example, welding, grinding, working with chemicals, or going into areas with flying particles.

* Eye and face protectors should be used, as appropriate to the potential hazards.

* Strong work shoes or boots should be used. Workers should use boots that are fitted with slip-resistant and puncture-resistant soles. This helps minimize the chances that they will lose their balance because they slip or step on sharp objects.

* Workers should use work boots with safety-toed construction, to avoid getting their toes crushed when working near heavy equipment or in areas with falling objects.