Construction deaths increase by 6 percent

If you work in construction, something that may worry you is that the number of construction worker fatalities has gone up by 6 percent. A Dec. 21 report states that fatalities increased 6 percent between 2015 and 2016, with 991 total worker deaths recorded.

Your workplace should be getting safer, not more dangerous. While an increase in deaths could be attributed to a growing workforce or several major issues in a few workplaces, they’re still worrying to anyone on a construction site.

The construction industry saw the most workers die on the job compared to other industries, yet it was only the third-highest when it came to the total rate of deaths per 100,000 workers. Some construction workers lose their lives in construction zones. While they’re on the job, drivers may strike them, or they may get hurt while working with heavy equipment. California specifically handled this situation by allowing police officers to fine motorists who hit construction workers up to $2,000. The incidents are seen as assaults.

The leading cause of accidental deaths at construction sites is falling. Combined with struck-by incidents, caught-in or between accidents and electrocution, these fatal four accidents lead to close to 64 percent of construction deaths in 2016.

Fortunately, there are solutions to the growing problems involving safety in the workplace: knowledge and training. Training individuals to work safely and educating people on what to do in emergencies helps keep the workplace safe, no matter what happens on the job. Remember, if you’re hurt, you can file a workers’ compensation claim. Workers have a right to be safe on the job.

Source: Construction DIVE, “Report: Construction worker fatalities up 6%,” Kim Slowey, Dec. 21, 2017