Category Archives: Occupational Health and Safety

Construction Fatal Four: Understanding Risks and Ensuring Safety

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Graphic of construction workers suffering from the construction fatal four

The construction industry is vital to infrastructure development worldwide, but it’s also one of the most dangerous sectors to work in. Among various hazards, the “Fatal Four” stands out as the leading causes of fatalities on construction sites.

The “Fatal Four” is comprised of falls, electrocutions, workers caught in or between objects and being struck by objects. In the United States alone, these safety incidents account for over 50% of construction worker deaths annually, tallying up to around 800 lives lost each year. These statistics are an urgent reminder to put into action safety measures to enhance workplace safety.

This article delves into the Fatal Four – what they are, why they’re so deadly and how construction companies can mitigate these risks to ensure worker safety. Through a multifaceted approach blending rigorous protocols, cutting-edge technologies and commitment from both workers and leadership, let’s strive to create a future where … Read more...

Leading vs Lagging Indicators: How to Enhance Workplace Safety

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A proactive safety management system requires both lagging and leading indicators for comprehensive data and insights.

The world of workplace safety has changed dramatically over the past fifty years. Industries have steadily improved in terms of incident rates, and yet, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 5,486 U.S. workers never made it safely home in 2022. Business and safety leaders, who are more and more invested in their workers’ well-being, are driving a major shift of perspective in addressing the safety concerns of their organizations to further reduce the number of incidents.

Today, traditional incident reporting and analysis team up with technology to prevent incidents and fatalities before they happen. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) for collecting and analyzing data, along with frontline workers reporting incidents on mobile devices, have revolutionized health and safety. This blog examines how data from leading and lagging indicators contributes to proactive safety management systems and highlights the crucial role of frontline workers in establishing a safety-conscious workplace.… Read more...

Ladder Safety Rules 101: A Comprehensive Approach to Working Safely at Heights

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Falls are one of the leading causes of serious injury and death in the workplace, and OSHA is serious about preventing them. Four of the agency’s 10 most cited standards in 2023 were related to fall prevention, including the rules for ladder safety.

Graphic of construction workers on a ladder while constructing a building.

In 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 161 fatal work injuries from which ladders were the primary source. While this is a 5.8 percent decline from 171 deaths in 2019, it could be related to pandemic shutdowns and might not represent real progress.

Meanwhile, there were 22,710 nonfatal injuries related to ladder safety in 2020, which was a 1.7 percent increase from 22,330 injuries in 2019. These nonfatal ladder injuries resulted in at least one day away from work. Workers in installation, maintenance and repair occupations faced the highest number of ladder-related injuries, followed by construction and extraction occupations.

Ladder Safety Month… Read more...

Women in Construction and the Problem of PPE

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A graphic of a woman working at a construction site.

Women in construction have a difficult relationship with personal protective equipment (PPE). On the one hand, PPE is critical for protecting them against chemical, physical, mechanical and other workplace hazards. On the other hand, PPE that doesn’t properly fit women’s bodies can be so uncomfortable or ineffective as to increase the risk of injury or death.

This article will examine the difficulties women have with PPE in construction, as well as ways in which to make positive changes for women in the industry.

PPE and the Hierarchy of Controls

In the hierarchy of controls for eliminating or reducing workplace hazards, PPE is the least effective control. It is the last line of defense in environments in which elimination or other controls aren’t feasible or don’t provide sufficient protection. Table 1 shows the standard hierarchy of controls.

A table of the hierarchy of controls

PPE is a critical component of construction safety. Construction sites are dynamic environments with … Read more...

Manufacturing Safety in the Post-Pandemic World

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Graphic of a frontline worker at a manufacturing plant

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted the manufacturing industry worldwide. With lockdowns changing the way we work and disrupting purchasing habits, many manufacturers shifted their attention to making personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline workers. This pivot was a critical step in ensuring the resilience of the manufacturing industry. Despite the potential for the pandemic to devastate manufacturing, the U.S. economic recovery was much quicker than expected. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, while the pandemic might have provoked the deepest economic recession since World War II, it was also the shortest, with contracted economic activity restricted only to March and April 2020. Since then, the recovery has been much stronger than many analysts anticipated.

However, while the economic data is trending in the right direction, injuries and fatalities are not. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 5,486 workplace fatalities in the … Read more...

Building a Safer Tomorrow: Challenges and Solutions in Construction Site Safety

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Graphic of two construction workers reviewing construction safety software on a tablet

On the afternoon of August 24, 2020, a construction worker employed by an electrical contractor was preparing to install a new power line between two utility poles at a Tennessee construction site. The worker threw the guide twine, pulled the cable toward the next pole, but it arched higher than intended and contacted the distribution power lines. Flowing through those lines were 2,700 volts of electric current, which traveled down the guide twine to the worker, who was electrocuted.

Just a few weeks earlier a UK construction worker was crushed underneath concrete after a partial wall and roof collapsed during demolition work on a site. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Sadly, this kind of day is often the rule rather than the exception in the construction industry, both in the U.S. and around the world, with workers routinely suffering fatal and life-altering injuries while working to build the … Read more...

Holiday Safety Tips for the Workplace

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A frontline worker and a fork lift at a warehouse during the holiday season

The holiday season, marked by joyous celebrations, brings a unique set of challenges for workplace safety. As weather conditions change and people socialize in smaller spaces, it’s essential to navigate potential hazards and prioritize the well-being of employees. From difficult road conditions to the impact of fatigue and distractions, employers and frontline workers alike must be proactive in maintaining their safety systems.

In this Q&A guide with Intelex VP of Health and Safety Scott Gaddis, we delve into specific safety considerations and insights during the holiday season. Reflecting back on years of experience, Gaddis notes that there was always a spike in injuries and illnesses going into the holidays as workers were eager to take time off and enjoy the festivities, leading to costly distractions.

Let’s explore key questions surrounding workplace safety and discover proactive measures to ensure a safe and joyful holiday season for all.

Julia Guerra Slater: Are

… Read more...

7 Organizations Focused on Improving Safety Culture 

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tools to improve safey culture

Table of Contents

Over the past year, we’ve had the chance to listen to some of our customers, celebrate their successes and learn about their thoughts on the future of health and safety in the workplace. This article is a roundup of what we’ve learned from working on customer case studies throughout 2023. We’ll look at their achievements in reducing workplace accidents and how EHS management system software from Intelex has helped them work towards their safety goals.

Customer Needs and Safety Achievements in 2023

Reducing manual workflows and using data to get deeper insight into the organization top the list of most significant customer needs in 2023. Many organizations used manual processes and spreadsheets for incident reporting and had poor communication between frontline workers and … Read more...

How to Identify and Prevent the Top 10 Causes of Workplace Injuries

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In 2022, the US Bureau of Labor recorded a staggering 2,804,200 non-fatal injuries. These statistics are alarming. Workplace safety is not just a regulatory obligation; it is also a necessity for the well-being of frontline workers and the financial health of businesses. Consider this. The total cost of work injuries in 2021 reached $167 billion dollars, impacting not just individuals but the broader economy. 

Graphic of frontline workers in a warehouse driving a forklift, lifting boxes and standing on a ladder.

While there have been significant advancements in health and safety, we continue to see the same injuries year after year. In fact, according to OSHA, fall protection was cited as the top violation for the 13th consecutive year, signaling an enduring need for targeted intervention. 

The administration compiles and publishes an annual list of the Top 10 Violations to alert businesses to commonly cited standards that lead to worker injuries. Understanding them empowers organizations to address common hazards and mitigate risks preemptively.

As a safety … Read more...

Enhanced Compliance: OSHA’s 2024 Updates to 300 and 301 Forms for Accurate Safety Reporting

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Two EHS professionals considering health and safety data

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has amended the regulation 29 CFR part 1904 for occupational injury and illness record keeping. Under the amended regulation, organizations in certain industries with more than 100 employees must now electronically submit Form 300-Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses and Form 301-Injury and Illness Incident Reporting once a year. This rule becomes effective on January 1, 2024. 

Organizations will also be required to submit the company name when submitting Form 300 and Form 301 data. OSHA intends to publish some of the data on its public website, as it believes the information will promote informed decision making for employers, workers and customers relating to the organization’s safety record. OSHA believes this approach will provide incentive for organizations to increase their efforts to reduce injuries and illnesses. It is important to note that OSHA will not post information that could reasonably identify individuals … Read more...