Common Causes of Accidents
Construction site accidents cause painful injuries and claim 1,200 lives per year. When we discuss the causes of an accident it’s to prevent a similar event down the road. The cause of an accident is typically due to three factors.
Unsafe Conditions
Unsafe Conditions which can be found everywhere. Examples are inadequate or improper guardrails or a lack of any guards at wall or floor openings which will lead to a fall. Poor housekeeping, electrical grounding, inadequate labeling, are just a few of the dozens of unsafe conditions that may be found on a typical jobsite. Make a difference by not creating a hazard for yourself or others, and to report any unsafe condition to your supervisor as soon as possible.
Unsafe Attitudes
Having an unsafe attitude is perhaps the most crucial of the three causes. This is because with the right attitude, a construction worker can detect and correct unsafe conditions. The right attitude obviously can also prevent unsafe acts before they happen. A constant state of diligence may be hard to achieve, but in one of the most dangerous work environments, it’s crucial for your health and safety.
Unsafe Acts
The third cause is Unsafe Acts. For example: using a tool that is defective or damaged, or using a good tool in an unsafe manner. Other examples may include disregarding warning signs, not wearing personal protective equipment, working too close to electrical lines, handling hazardous chemicals improperly, or even lifting material incorrectly.
When the cause behind an accident is determined, you’ll find that correcting the root cause will prevent that accident from occurring again. The goal is for the jobsite and your job to be safe.