Proper Safety Training Will Help Prevent Electrocutions on Your Jobsites

The four most common fatal, on-the-job accidents in the construction industry in 2011 were falls, electrocutions, struck-by-object, and caught-in/between.

I recently read an article about a worker fatality in my home state. The victim was electrocuted while installing guard rail and signs along an Interstate highway. Electrocution accidents like this are very preventable. However, companies and workers that don't take jobsite safety seriously see accidents happen — more often than you think.

OSHA reports that out of 4,114 worker fatalities in private industry in calendar year 2011, 721 (17.5%) were in construction. The leading causes of worker deaths on construction sites can be categories into what OSHA calls the "Fatal Four":

  1. Falls – 35%
  2. Electrocutions – 9%
  3. Struck by Object – 10%
  4. Caught-in/between – 3%

The Fatal Four were responsible for nearly three out of five (57%) construction worker deaths in 2011, BLS reports. Eliminating the Fatal Four would save 410 workers' lives in America every year.

Here are a few recent articles from www.ForConstructionPros.com that address jobsite safety to prevent electrocutions:

Prevent Electrical Injuries on Construction Sites

Safe Concrete Pump Setup Will Help Prevent Tip Overs and Electrocutions

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