Page 114 - Urban Construction Project Management

Safety

5 (Why we cannot police ourselves.)

HISTORY OF SAFETY ISSUES

The construction industry has the greatest number of deaths and accidents as compared
to other occupations. The U.S. Department of Labor statistics (Fatal Occupational
Injuries by Occupation and Events or Exposure) noted that 1239 construction workers
died in 2006 (see Exhibit 5-1). This represents 21% of the total work force fatalities.
To put it another way, 3.4 construction workers die every day of the year. The number
of fatalities for 2006 was 4% higher then what occurred in 2005. Construction labor-
ers constituted 27% of the total construction fatalities (see Exhibit 5-1A). Updated
information on fatalities in the construction industry can be obtained via the U.S. gov-
ernment Website (www.osha.gov). See Exhibit 5-1B for the safety flowchart.

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (OSHA)

Due to the number of accidents that were occurring in the construction industry and
lack of safety concerns by the construction industry (and other occupations), Congress
passed the Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) Law on December 29,
1970. In 1990, OSHA set up a separate construction and engineering division.

OSHA Regulations Section 1926 (Safety and Health Regulations for Construction)
deals with safety issues relating to the construction industry. Section 1926 index is as
noted in Exhibit 5-2.

OSHA also publishes a pocket guide called Workers Safety Series. Examples of some
of these guides are noted in Exhibit 5-3 through Exhibit 5-25. Given that Spanish is the
second most spoken language in the United States, and there are a large number of con-
struction workers of Spanish heritage working in the United States, OSHAhas made avail-
able safety signs in both English and Spanish to facilitate communications and safety.
These guides should be handed out to all superintendents and subcontractor foremen at the
first toolbox meeting. The toolbox meeting is held by each subcontractor formen and their
workers to discuss safety and the performance of the construction work.
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