June is National Safety Month, a campaign sponsored by the National Safety Council to help raise awareness of occupational safety. Each week during June, Dawood Engineering will be taking a closer look into each of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) Fatal Four.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is raising awareness of the focus four hazards and leading causes of workplace fatalities – Falls, Caught-In or Between, Struck-By, and Electrocution – to reduce their effects on the workforce.
This week, we focus on Falls—the leading contributor of the Fatal Four that collectively accounts for 36% of workplace deaths.
Know the Risks
- Falls are the second leading cause of unintentional, injury-related death followed only motor vehicle accidents.
- In 2020, 805 workers were killed from falls and another 211,640 were injured badly enough to require days away from work.
- Falls are not only fatal when working at heights—in 2020, 136 workers were killed from falls on the same level.
Keys to Keep You Safe
When planning work tasks over 6 feet (4 feet in General Industry) above a lower level, ensure that you have appropriate fall prevention in place or that workers have adequate fall protection. Only allow workers trained in fall hazards and fall prevention/protection to work at heights.
Workers should also identify any slip and/or trip hazards in the workplace before work begins. Check the work area for electrical cords or tools laying in or across walkways, holes in the floor, open grates, and spills on the floor—just to name a few examples. Ensure everyone is aware of their presence and eliminate or mitigate the hazards as soon as possible.
Fall deaths are 100% preventable. This is why we hold workers accountable. Nobody is perfect, but we must always watch out for one another. If you see someone working at heights without the right equipment, or using their equipment incorrectly, speak up to correct the situation before an accident happens.