Construction is among the most dangerous industries and in recent years, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that there are more than 800 fatal on-the-job injuries to construction workers annually, which is more than any other single industry.
OSHA has identified the 4 leading causes of fatalities in the construction industry and Caught-in Hazards are one of the Focus Four.
Caught-in or Caught-between hazards are defined as Injuries resulting from a person being squeezed, caught, crushed, pinched, or compressed between two or more objects, or between parts of an object.
In this incident, as reported in The New York Times, a concrete slab weighing thousands of pounds crashed to the ground, trapping and killing a worker at a New York construction site.
Caught-in hazards are not limited to situations where a worker’s glove might get pulled into a moving part or where someone stands too close to the swing radius of heavy equipment. These hazards show up on every job site and take many forms like collapsed materials, unstable structures, machinery, trenches, and even equipment tipping over.
Every member of the crew must be trained to recognize potential caught-in hazards and avoid placing themselves in areas where materials could fall, tip, or shift. Workers should never crawl, stand, or walk into areas that are unstable or could suddenly collapse.
Staying aware of surroundings, recognizing unstable conditions, and maintaining safe distances can prevent tragedies like this one and protect workers from one of the construction industry’s most deadly hazards.
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