Being employed in our local construction industry is dangerous. In fact, studies reveal that working construction is the most dangerous line of work in the State of Indiana and the second most deadly in the State of Illinois (surpassed only by commercial truck driving). Read, What Is The Most Dangerous Job in Indiana and Illinois?
However, there are all sorts of construction worksites, of all sizes, involving both commercial and residential projects. On these sites, all kinds of work is being done, from roofing to welding to installing sewer pipes, concrete foundations, or steel girders. Workers are young and old; male and female; and of varied levels of expertise and experience.
There is simply no one size fits all regarding construction site safety. It is vital that employers understand the intricacies of each type of work being performed on their particular project as well as the unique dangers facing the individual construction worker as he tackles his particular trade.
Still, there are some blanket realities that apply to all construction sites. It is not disputed that all these jobsites are dangerous: there is no inherently safe construction worksite. And it is recognized across the industry that the greatest risk any construction worker faces on the job is dying from bodily injuries sustained in a fall.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (“NIOSH”), we know that in 2022:
- Falls are the leading cause of death among construction workers.
- The number of construction worker fall accidents is increasing.
- Most construction workers fall to their deaths from roofs, ladders, or scaffolds.
- Almost a third of fatal construction falls involved the victim falling from a height to a lower level.
- The workers facing the greatest risk of a fatal fall are roofing and finishing contractors in residential construction.
- Other construction workers facing an increased likelihood of death on the job in a fall are: (1) immigrant workers; (2) workers for small construction companies; and (3) both younger and older workers.
Read, “Fall Campaign 2022: Making Research Work,” written by Scott Earnest, J’ette Novakovich, Scott Breloff, Douglas Trout, Elizabeth Garza, Christopher Pan, and Bryan Wimer and published by the NIOSH Science Blog on April 13, 2022.
Who Faces Danger From The Most Common Violations of Federal Fall Safety Regulations?
NIOSH also tallied which federal fall safety regulations are the most often ignored or disrespected on our construction sites. Explains NIOSH: “Evidence shows that many of the interventions that could be used to prevent falls are not being used or are not used correctly.”
Construction workers face the greatest risk of a fall injury from the following safety regulations not being followed on the job site:
- fall protection (29 CFR 1926.501)
- scaffolding (29 CFR §1926.451)
- use of ladders (29 CFR §1926.1053)
- fall protection training (29 CFR §1926.503).
Accordingly, any construction worker in Indiana or Illinois who is asked to work on a ladder or a scaffold faces a heightened risk of a deadly fall on the job because it is recognized that employers are not keeping with established safety standards in these areas.
Of even greater concern is the potential for a fatal fall on any of our construction sites because the construction worker was not given proper fall protection training by the employer or the employee was not provided proper fall protection equipment.
Need for Personal Protective Equipment for Construction Workers to Protect Against Falls
According to OSHA standards, anytime a construction worker is asked to work six feet or higher off a lower level, then the employer is required to provide fall protection. These safety regulations are found in 29 CFR §1926 Subpart M.
When certain types of operations being done on the worksite or specific tasks are being undertaken, then even more specific safety regulations must be followed by the employer. These include things like steel erection (29 CFR §1926.760) and the use of cranes and derricks on the site (29 CFR §1926.1423).
Shockingly, in a recent survey of construction workers by several safety agencies promoted as the “Fall Experience Survey,” it was reported by workers themselves that approximately HALF of all fatal construction worker falls (49%) happened with the worker having no fall protection whatsoever at the time of the incident.
With almost half of all reported fall fatalities happening without any fall protection, the greatest danger for any construction worker to suffer a deadly fall appears to be the employer failing to provide fall protection on the job site.
Roofers Most Likely to Suffer Terminal Injuries in a Construction Site Fall
Among construction professionals on the jobsite, regardless of it being commercial or residential, or the size or scope of the particular project, researchers confirm that roofers face the greatest risk of dying in a fall on the worksite. Roofers face a ten times greater risk of death than all the other construction occupations combined.
However, it is particularly dangerous for residential roofers. This is because residential construction projects ask the roofer to work on a sloped surface and to cross that surface repeatedly in order to get the job done.
Warns NIOSH: “Walking across a sloped roof surface decreases postural stability and results in greater sway compared to walking on a level surface. An increased sway in the front-back direction may cause slipping in that direction; and similarly in the side-to-side direction, fall risk is increased as there is more sway in the side-to-side direction, leading to more stress placed on the hip muscles in order to reduce falling (Breloff 2020). Walking across a sloped roof also changes the angles of the hip, knee, and ankles, as well as how the feet land on the ground compared to level surface walking. These physical changes can impede the body’s ability to sense movement, action, and location and can increase the risk of falling.”
Employers’ Duties to Protect Construction Workers From Fall Accidents
Of course, employers are required to meet specific legal duties of care and safety to try and keep construction workers safe on the job from any kind of accident, especially the risks of a serious fall. The state laws of Indiana and Illinois establish legal responsibilities for construction employers that if breached can result in the employer being held legally liable to the accident victim and their loved ones for the resulting damages. See, Workplace Safety and OSHA Regulations in Indiana and Illinois.
For construction workers in Indiana and Illinois, it is vital that they recognize the risks they face that are inherent in their work as well as the research confirmation that they cannot assume their employers, supervisors, and others in positions of authority or control of the job site are fulfilling their legal duty to keep people safe from falling on the site.
Roofers, especially those on residential projects, face an extremely high risk of falling and suffering deadly bodily injuries or catastrophic harm.
Any construction worker that is not given appropriate personal protective equipment against falls also faces an unacceptably high danger of death due to a fall on the worksite.
For more, read:
- Roofers Hurt or Killed on the Job: Why is Roofing So Dangerous and Deadly?
- Multiple Employers on the Construction Site: Who Is Liable For Construction Worker Accidents?
- Residential Construction Accidents in Indiana
- Deadly Construction Fall Accidents in Illinois and Indiana
- Deadly Construction Fall Accidents: Duty to Provide Fall Safety Equipment Protections for Construction Workers.
State laws provide avenues for justice to those who suffer severe or deadly injuries in a fall on the construction site. Sadly, these are all too often tragic, preventable accidents that have resulted from breaches in legally defined duties of care and safety on the worksite. Please be careful out there!
