Paper Outline

Name: William Fiedler

Course: Construction Safety

Instructor’s name: Professor David M. Reed

Date: 4/27/14

Construction-related fall accidents

Introduction

Construction-related fall accidents are a major challenge in the construction industries leading to injuries and even sometimes the deaths of construction workers. In spite of their long term experience in construction the veteran construction workers are predisposed to the hazard of fall accidents especially when working on tall buildings. According to the New York City buildings department (2010) 42% of accidents which occurred at construction sites were construction-related fall accidents. In this discussion construction accidents resulting from falling objects, poorly positioned portable ladders and falls caused by poor scaffolding will be covered.

Option one: summary, cause and potential fall protection plan for each accident

Falling objects such as construction tools and building material are a major part of construction related fall accidents. 17% of accidents at construction sites resulted from falling objects in 2010 in New York (Nyc.gov., 2013). When building material is poorly handled by cranes which are lifting it, there is a probability that the material may fall on the people below which may lead to fatal injuries. Another predisposition to injury by falling materials is when there is improper tidiness at the construction site such as when objects are lying at positions from which they may fall. These materials may injure the workers below if they fall. Construction related fall accidents involving the fall of objects may be prevented by the construction workers making sure that they wear protective hardhats. Some kinds of nets may also be installed to catch falling objects.

Poor positioning of portable ladders is another cause of fall accidents at construction sites. If a ladder is unstable at its point of support, it may move and fall together with the worker using it as he or she goes up or down the ladder. A fall caused by a ladder may also occur if one uses a broken or faulty ladder since it may have low stability. A report by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) explains that approximately 35 people die and another 25,000 get injured due to accidents involving falls from ladders and stairways all over the country annually (Osha.gov., 2013). Accidents involving ladders may be avoided through ensuring that the ladder does not move out of position of support due the weight exerted on it, checking the ladder for faults such as broken steps or side rails before use and last but not least ensure that the distance extended by the side rails more than about three feet over the landing.

Improper scaffolding may lead to fatal accidents at construction sites especially if a worker falls from a high point above the ground. These falls occur mainly when workers use defective suspension scaffolds, lack proper training of how to use scaffolds, install the scaffold equipment poorly and when they fail to use personal protective gear. To avoid construction-related fall accidents associated with scaffolds one should ensure that a qualified professional checks the scaffolds before they are used. The professional must make sure that faulty scaffolds are not used. In the case of suspension scaffolds where ropes are used they should be protected from corrosive materials such as acids, any sharp objects which may cut the ropes for example through abrasion and fire which may cause heat cutting the ropes. The construction workers should be thoroughly trained on how to install and work with and from suspension scaffolds. Workers should also be reminded to wear fall protective gear such as a body belts (Herman & Jeffress, 1998). Last but not least the scaffolds must be capable of holding the weights of the construction workers working from them.

Conclusion

In summary the causes of construction related fall accidents such as falling objects, poor use of ladders and scaffolds have been discussed. It is however important to note that other fall accidents such as those caused by falling through roof openings and falling on sharp objects such as protruding metal bars also occur at construction sites.

References

Herman, A., and Jeffress, C. (1998). Fall protection in construction. [Washington, D.C.]: U.S. Dept. of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Osha.gov (2013). OSHA Construction eTool: Falls. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/construction/falls/mainpage.html [Accessed: 12 May 2013].

Nyc.gov., (2013). Untitled. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/downloads/pdf/cons_accident_monthly_1110.pdf [Accessed: 12 May 2013].