OSHA Launches Focus Four Campaign

OSHA last week launched a regional Focus Four Campaign to address the four leading causes of fatal injuries in construction.

Throughout the month of March, the campaign will use toolbox talks and outreach events to focus on electrical hazards. In April, the focus will be on struck-by hazards; May will target fall hazards; and June will focus on caught-in/between hazards.

The goal of this campaign is to raise awareness in the recognition, evaluation, and control of these hazards through the delivery of toolbox talks for employers to provide to their workers.

These toolbox talks will be available during the campaign for employers to use at their own discretion.  Construction's "Fatal Four" Out of 5190* worker fatalities in private industry in calendar year 2016, 991 or 19% were in construction―that is, one in five worker deaths last year were in construction.
 
The leading causes of worker deaths on construction sites were falls, followed by struck-by, electrocution, and caught-in/between. These "Fatal Four" hazards were responsible for well over half (64%) of the construction worker deaths in 2016*, according to BLS reports. 

Falls — 384 out of 991 total deaths in construction in CY 2016 (39%) 

Struck by Object - 93 (9%) 

Electrocutions - 82 (8%) 

Caught-in/between* - 72 (7%) *This category includes construction workers killed when caught-in or compressed by equipment or objects, and struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material

Eliminating these Four Hazards would save 631 workers' lives each year!

Click here for more information about the Focus Four campaign.