Nov 4, 09:18 PM
The Killer Four
One of the best ways to address federal and state compliance requirements is to start with an understanding of the target areas of enforcement by regulators and inspectors and why these are target areas.
Compliance in four key areas is crucial to avoid catastrophic injuries as well as costly fines, citations and criminal charges.
In this post, I am not going to refer to any particular regulation or statute. These four general categories cover many, many state and federal regulations. Trainers and inspectors categorize many regulations and standards into four compact categories and focus their attention on these general categories because these accidents cause 90% of construction fatalities. Called “The KILLER FOUR,” they are:
- FALLS – Falls from elevation continue to be the biggest source of catastrophic injuries to construction workers. Falls account for nearly one-third of construction fatalities.
- STRUCK BY – 22% of construction fatalities are the result of being “struck by” a falling and/or moving object.
- CAUGHT IN/BETWEEN – This category includes cave-ins, trenching accidents and being pinned by machinery or supplies. 18% of fatalities occur in this manner.
- SHOCK – 17% of all fatalities are because of an electrical accident.
These “Killer Four” were developed after a 10-year study by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and published in 1990.
Based in part on that study, OSHA inspectors and regional offices began target enforcement programs into specific construction trades and sites in their region where these “Killer Four” are regularly found. OSHA has determined that violations in these four areas are a top priority.
I will focus on each of these four areas in posts to come and you can review our main web site for links and more information.
Filed by Gregory Boop under Workplace Safety Business