Construction Safety: ‘Focus Four’ Hazards Every Site Manager Must Master
Summary: The construction site should be as safe a place to work as any other. To that end, OSHA has developed a clear strategy for mitigating the foremost common risks leading to the majority of construction industry fatalities. The strategy has been dubbed ‘Focus Four’.
In the high-stakes world of construction site management, ‘safety first’ must never be just a slogan mentioned in passing during safety meetings. The reality is this: the safety-first mindset is a survival strategy. It is what keeps workers and visitors safe on the job site. With that in mind, OSHA has identified what they call the ‘Focus Four’ hazards that consistently lead to the vast majority of construction site fatalities.
It is in the best interests of both site managers and workers to master these hazards. Site managers have the added responsibility of making sure all workers understand site risks and how to mitigate them. OSHA ultimately holds site managers and their employers responsible when things go south.
The Compliance Consultants’ philosophy dictates that world-class construction safety is built on a foundation of proactive identification and rigorous training. We work with employers and site managers to focus on the four critical areas identified by OSHA. Our goal is to help our clients drastically reduce the risk of job site accidents, ensuring every crew member goes home safely at shift’s end.
The Leading Causes of Fatalities
OSHA focuses on the following four hazards leading to construction site fatalities:
1. Fall Hazards
Falls are far and away the leading cause of death on construction sites. Workers fall from scaffolding, ladders, unprotected roof edges, unfinished and unprotected floors, and so on. A momentary loss of balance can easily lead to catastrophe. Fortunately, there are three key strategies that can help site managers master fall hazards:
- The 6-Foot Rule – The 6-foot rule is designed to ensure that a worker is never allowed to fall any further than six feet. Safety features must protect any space representing a fall of greater distance, like guardrails and safety nets. Personal Fall Arrest Systems (PFAS) are an option when other safety features are not feasible.
- Daily Inspections – Daily inspections of all safety equipment should be standard practice. This includes inspecting harnesses and lanyards. It does not take much to render a safety device incapable of sufficiently protecting a falling worker.
- Scaffolding Integrity – The integrity of all scaffolding should be insured through proper installation and inspection. A competent person, as defined by OSHA, should take the lead in managing all scaffolding.
Construction safety and ‘near misses’ are incompatible. Unfortunately, near-miss falls often go unreported. Site managers should prioritize cultivating a culture in which workers are comfortable enough to speak up about near-miss incidents and their circumstances.
2. Struck-By Hazards
A struck-by hazard is one that subjects workers to injury after being hit by a moving object, vehicle, or falling material. Such accidents are common given the amount of movement that takes place on a typical construction site. For the site manager, mastering such hazards is like conducting an orchestra or watching over a busy airfield. Again, there are three strategies site managers can look at:
- Vehicle Management – Vehicle management involves implementing strict blind spot protocols along with ensuring all backup alarms are fully functional. When necessary, spotters should be employed to help move vehicles and heavy equipment.
- Falling Objects – Injuries from falling objects can be mitigated by using certain tools. Debris nets and toe-boards are key examples. And of course, workers should wear hard hats whenever on-site.
- High Visibility – Every person present on a job site should wear a Class 2 or 3 high-visibility vest to prevent accidents with moving vehicles.
Struck-by hazards are most easily mitigated by ensuring people are paying attention. Everything a job site manager can do to increase awareness helps to some degree.
3. Caught-In Hazards
While falls are the most common type of construction site accident, caught-in incidents are often the most gruesome. They involve a worker being crushed, compressed, squeezed, or caught between two or more objects. Here are the strategies for mastering these hazards:
- Trench Safety – Workers should never be allowed to work in trenches deeper than five feet without protective systems in place. Protective systems include shoring, shielding, and sloping.
- Machine Guards – All heavy machinery and power tools should be equipped with factory guards. Workers should never be allowed to remove guards or cheat safety sensors.
- Lockout/Tagout – Also known as LOTO, this strategy ensures that equipment is completely de-energized before any maintenance begins. LOTO ensures that a piece of equipment cannot accidentally turn on when a worker is cleaning or modifying it.
Energized equipment is one of the leading causes of caught-in fatalities. Therefore, strict policies are needed to prevent these types of accidents.
4. Electrocution Hazards
Last on the OSHA Focus Four list are electrocution hazards. The risk of electrocution is fairly common thanks to overhead power lines and the prolific use of extension cords among construction workers. The best strategies for mitigating electrocution hazards are:
- The 10-Foot Rule – Maintaining a minimum distance of ten feet from all overhead power lines should be standard procedure. In addition, overhead lines should always be assumed live unless otherwise advised by the local utility company.
- Tool Maintenance – All power tools and extension cords should be inspected before use. Any tools with frayed cords or missing grounding pins should be removed from service immediately.
- GFCI Protection – All 120v, single-phase, 15- or 20-amp receptacles should be protected by Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs).
There are some similarities across all these strategies as well as some unique considerations for each type of hazard. Yet they all have one thing in common: intentionality. Construction safety is an intentional practice governed by intentional policies and actions.
If you would like to know more, why not start with a FREE safety inspection from Compliance Consultants Inc.? Our inspections reveal safety and compliance gaps and point site managers and employers to the proper corrective solutions. Contact us for your FREE safety inspection today.
FAQs
In brief, what are the Focus Four hazards?
Sometimes referred to as the ‘fatal four’, they are: falls, struck-by incidents, caught-in incidents, and electrocutions.
At what height must fall protection be implemented?
OSHA standards dictate fall protection at a height of six feet or greater. However, the construction industry does one better with a lower threshold of four feet.
Must all tools be plugged in to a GFCI outlet?
On construction sites, yes. OSHA regulations require GFCIs on all 120v, single-phase receptacles of either 15 or 20 amps – unless said receptacles are already part of the structure’s permanent wiring.
What are the 6- and 10-foot rules?
The 6-foot rule pertains to falls. It stipulates that no worker can be allowed to fall more than 6 feet. The 10-foot rule pertains to overhead power lines. It stipulates that a minimum distance of 10 feet should always be maintained.
