Be wary of work zones: Know how to stay safe when thereās a lot going on
The accident: A heavy equipmentĀ operator was part of a crewĀ working on a resurfacing projectĀ for a county road. In need of aĀ restroom, but with none availableā¦
Dangerous demo: Demolition work is unpredictable ā be ready for any hazard
The accident: A constructionĀ company was demolishing a two-storyĀ warehouse. A large portionĀ of the building had already beenĀ razed when the second floor collapsedā¦
Disastrous drops: Falls are the number one cause of death in construction accidents
The accident: A bridge repairĀ company was performing workĀ on an interstate highway bridge.Ā A barrier wall had been removedĀ and four inches of the concreteĀ pavement had been chipped fromĀ the bridge deckā¦
Shock-proof yourself: Know the dangers of working around electricity
The accident: A crew was settingĀ anchors in preparation forĀ utility pole placement, using aĀ boom truck with auger. EachĀ anchor was attached to the augerĀ using a coupling, which thenĀ used the auger motor to rotateĀ the anchor and screw it into theĀ ground. An anchor began toĀ wobble during the setting processā¦
Up in the air: Sacrificing safety for convenience could cost you
The accident: A worker wasĀ replacing structural steel membersĀ on a 280-foot-tall communicationsĀ tower. Suspended 60Ā feet in the air, he was preparingĀ to lower himself into positionĀ using a controlled descent system.Ā According to a fellow crewĀ member, the worker suddenlyĀ dropped to the ground.
Welding worries: Things you canāt see can kill you
The accident: A construction worker was welding a catwalk to a 15-foot-tall waste oil tank. Vapors from the tank ignited, causing an explosionĀ that launched the worker into a truck parked more than 100 feet awayā¦
Hidden dangers: Invisible vapors can be deadly when welding
The accident: A worker was repairing a truck body alone in his companyās shop, using an arc welding system to weld pieces of steel together and then attach them to the body near the rearĀ of the truck.
Shoring things up: Use required protective systems when working in a trench
The accident: Two laborers were installing conduit in an 8-foot-deep by two-foot-wide trench. The crew leader, whoĀ was digging the trench with a backhoe, left the area to go to the company trailer. The two laborers continued to work aloneā¦
In the trenches: One of the most preventable accidents can also be the deadliest
The accident: Three workers were repairing a water main break in a 7-foot-deep, 5-foot-wide excavation. To expose the water main, one worker working with a shovel at the bottom of the trench undercut the roadway.
Treacherous trenching: Knowing the guidelines keeps you out of harmās way
The accident: Two laborers were installing water lines in a 9-foot-deep, 7-foot-wide trench with vertical walls. A corner of the trench collapsed, pinning one worker under a large chunk of dirt.
Heavy load: ļæ¼ļæ¼ļæ¼ļæ¼ļæ¼ļæ¼ļæ¼Trailer overloading may harm both your load and the traffic around you
The accident: A pickup truck was towing an overloaded trailer when it caused a multiple-vehicle accident, closing one road for several hours and sending four people to the hospital. The trailer, carrying a skid steer, weighed 9,220 pounds, well over the 3,700-pound weight limit of the trailer hitch.
Safe hauling: Learn your load limits when trailering heavy equipment
The accident: Going down a busy Interstate, a construction supervisor was hauling a backhoe on a trailer. The backhoe flipped off the trailer, falling onto a minivanā¦
Tricky transport: Hauling equipment safely means more than just load-and-go
The accident: A tractor-trailer hauling construction machines rear-ended a pickup truck with two men inside. The tractor-trailer ended up on top of the pickup before going off the road.
Lethal loads: Unloading a trailer can be deadly unless you follow the proper procedure
The accident: A truck driver was unloading wood chip material from his open-top trailer via a moveable floor conveyor unit. During the unloading process, the load became jammed, and the driver climbed to the top of the trailer to clear the obstruction.
Stay put: Youāre safer inside a tipping forklift than outside
The accident: After putting his machine in reverse on some banking, a rough terrain operator feltĀ his machine start to tip. Panicking, the operator threw himself from the forklift and was immediately crushed by the tipping machine.
Slippery slopes: Stay aware of changing soil conditions when using a trencher
The accident: A crew was installing underground telecommunications cable when the trencher operator started to maneuver the trencher out of a ditch on the edge of roadway. The shoulder ofĀ the roadway gave way and caused the machine to roll toward the ditch.
Keep your balance: Moving materials with a backhoe calls for extreme care
The accident: A crew replacing cracked drainpipes used a backhoe to carry replacement concrete pipes to a utility trench. The backhoe operator lifted several pipes from the bed of a truck onto the loader bucket and began moving across the rubble-covered worksite towards the trench.
Careful compaction: Ignoring safety procedures could be a costly mistake
The accident: An operator was runningĀ a compactor over a newly created gravel shoulder on a road improvement project. In attempting to maneuver the front tires around a road sign, the operator drove the compactor too far off the shoulder and onto a 15-degree slope.
