Category: Construction
Transforming Construction: Automation and Robotics for a Safer Future
Introduction At its core, automation is the use of technology to perform tasks that were once done by humans. Technology includes software, tools to automate workflows, and machinery. Some of the early examples of automation in construction are power tools. As technology progresses, construction automation has seen rapid progress over the last decade with the Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentThe Problem of Falls from Elevation in Construction and Prevention Resources
The Current Situation with Falls In 2022 falls from elevation represented approximately 81% of all fatal and 20% of all nonfatal slips, trips, and falls for all industry workers (BLS 2023a, BLS 2023b). Many of these falls occurred in the construction industry, and significantly impact construction employers, workers, and their families. In fact, construction workers Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentUsing Internal Traffic Control Plans to Prevent Construction Worker Injuries and Fatalities in Work Zones
Struck-by injuries are the leading cause of nonfatal injuries and second most common cause of fatalities among construction workers. From 2011 to 2022, there were 1,462 fatal occupational injuries that occurred at road construction sites .[1] Of these, 68% (n=1,000) were among workers in the construction industry (See figure) followed by workers in transportation and Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentPrevention Through Design to Address Continuing Construction Workplace Deaths and Injuries
Nearly 1 in 5 of all workplace fatalities occur in the construction industry (BLS, 2024). In 2022 there were 1,092 fatalities in the construction industry (BLS, 2024); in 2021 and 2022 there were 144,480 cases of construction industry workers missing days away from work from a non-fatal injury or illness (BLS, 2023). These and other Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentProtecting Workers and the Public from Wildfire Smoke
The Canadian wildfires highlight the hazard of wildfire smoke, an issue faced annually by many communities across the United States. In this blog, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and National Center for Environmental Health teamed up with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsPrevention of Injuries and Fatalities Involving Overturn of Drill Rigs and other Specialty Equipment for Foundation Construction
Introduction Every year, drill rigs and other heavy, specialty equipment used for deep foundation construction (Figure 1) overturn potentially causing injuries and fatalities, as well as damage to the surrounding sites. There are many safety hazards associated with working around this heavy equipment, including the “Focus Four Hazards”: falls, caught-in or -between, struck-by, and electrocution. Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsTome medidas ahora para prevenir las enfermedades relacionadas con el calor en el trabajo
Antes de que comience el verano debemos prever las exposiciones al calor relacionadas con el trabajo y los posibles casos de enfermedades relacionadas con el calor entre los trabajadores. La exposición al calor, junto con la actividad física y otros factores ambientales, pueden aumentar la temperatura del cuerpo y causar estrés por calor. El cuerpo Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentLos cascos para la construcción y las lesiones cerebrales traumáticas relacionadas con el trabajo
Una lesión cerebral traumática (TBI, por sus siglas en inglés) es una perturbación en el funcionamiento normal del cerebro que puede ser causada por un golpe, una sacudida o una lesión penetrante en la cabeza. Las TBI son un problema de salud pública a nivel mundial y una de las causas principales de muerte Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsStanding Down to Prevent Falls in Construction
Overview Construction workers are at risk for injuries from many sources, but falls continue to be the leading cause of death (accounting for 37% [379 out of the 1015 fatalities] of all construction fatalities in 2021). This year marks the 10th annual National Safety Stand-Down to prevent falls in construction, an event to raise awareness Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsStruck-By Injuries in the Construction Sector: Common Hazards, Barriers, and Opportunities to Keep Workers Safe
Struck-By Injuries Struck-by injuries occur from violent contact or impact between an object or piece of equipment and a person. Struck-by injuries can be fatal, and even when a worker is not seriously injured can result in days off work to recover. To help prevent struck-by injuries, companies are encouraged to have a stand-down; a Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentCritical Steps Your Workplace Can Take Today to Prevent Suicide
Employers can play a vital role in suicide prevention. Historically, suicide, mental health, and well-being have been underrepresented in workplace health and safety efforts, but this is changing. In some European countries, there are workplace standards for workplace psychosocial hazards that put workers at risk for suicide. Additionally, in France, employers have been made Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentPersonal Protective Equipment Fit in the Construction Sector
The construction sector includes a diverse population of workers exposed to many different types of hazards. An important way to prevent occupational illness and injury related to these hazards is by implementing the hierarchy of controls. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is the last control in the hierarchy, but PPE is particularly important when the other Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsPsychosocial Hazards Often Overlooked in Construction Industry
Why Do Psychosocial Factors of Work Matter? The construction industry has considerable safety and health hazards that result in high rates of injury, illness, and fatality. Common hazards include noise, fall, electrical, and chemical hazards. Approximately 60% of all construction fatalities each year can be attributed to the ‘focus four’ hazards of falls, struck-by, caught Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsConstruction Helmets and Work-related Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury. TBIs are a global public health problem and is a leading cause of injury-related death and disability [1]. While TBIs can be mild, some Read More >
Posted on by 14 CommentsExposure Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Refined Coal Tar Sealant Applications
Coal tar sealants are applied as a protective coating for paved surfaces. Many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are found in these sealants. Several of these PAHs are known or suspected to cause, or increase the risk of developing cancer, but to date there has been no published research on workplace exposures to coal-tar-based sealant. Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentEducation and Training Concerning Masks and Respirators for Construction Workers
Various types of masks and respirators are receiving increased attention in many workplaces, including on construction sites. Use of masks is part of a multi-layered prevention strategy for COVID-19, and many workplaces require or encourage employees to wear them. Masks are designed to cover a person’s mouth and nose to help contain large droplets or Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentWelder’s Anthrax
A new journal article from researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Bacterial Special Pathogens Branch describes cases of welder’s anthrax, a newly identified, deadly occupational disease. Welder’s anthrax is defined as pneumonia in a metalworker caused by bacteria within the Read More >
Posted on by 9 CommentsFalls Campaign 2022: Making Research Work
Falls are the leading cause of death among construction workers. Tragically, each year roughly 300–400 construction workers fall to their deaths, most often while working at heights on roofs, ladders, and scaffolds. In 2020, out of 1,034 falls that resulted in death in the construction industry, 353 were due to falls from a height Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentPreventing Struck-by Fatalities Related to Excavator Quick Couplers, Buckets, and Attachments
The 3rd annual National Stand-Down to Prevent Struck-by Incidents will take place April 11–15, 2022. As part of these efforts, NIOSH and others are highlighting the lethal struck-by risk related to excavator quick couplers. A quick coupler failure can cause the attachment to fall suddenly, causing death, injury, and/or damage to the excavator and attachment. Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsPartnering to Design Safe and Healthy Workplaces for the Construction Workforce
The NIOSH Office of Construction Safety and Health has partnered with industry, government, academia, insurance companies, and labor to address construction-related injuries and fatalities. Working together, these partnerships can tackle many of the serious issues the Construction industry faces today. Prevention through Design (PtD) is an important approach to addressing many of these hazards. A Read More >
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