Construction jobs are among those with the highest injury and death rates. Construction workers regularly deal with hazardous conditions, such as heights and working with heavy equipment.
In Nashville, three construction workers have died in the past three months. A 30-year-old man died in May after being electrocuted while working downtown. A 42-year-old man and a 61-year old man both died after falling on work sites. As a result of these deaths, the group Workers’ Dignity, which works on behalf of construction workers, is calling for increased safety on work sites. The main goal, representatives of the group say, is to push for transparency and better adherence to safety guidelines.
THE CONSTRUCTION FATAL FOUR
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has identified the four leading causes of deaths in the construction industry. The “Fatal Four” include:
- Electrical hazards
- Fall hazards
- Struck-by hazards
- Caught-in or caught-between hazards
In 2015, the Fatal Four were responsible for more than half of all construction worker deaths. If we could eliminate the Fatal Four, we could save over 600 construction worker lives every year. In 2015, nearly 5,000 construction workers died, averaging to almost 13 deaths every day.
With how quickly Nashville is growing and with every new building popping up in the city’s skyline, construction companies should dedicate more efforts to ensure the safety of these vulnerable workers.
Proverbs 22:12, “The eyes of the LORD watch over the knowledgeable, but he defeats the projects of the faithless.”