Analysis of Construction Worker Fall Accidents

Abstract

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigates most worker-related fatalities and many accidents involving serious injuries. A research study was conducted that focused on the data OSHA accumulated on construction worker accidents involving falls. In the construction industry, falls are the most frequently occurring types of accidents resulting in fatalities. The purpose of the study was to identify the root causes of fall accidents and to identify any additional information that might be helpful in reducing the incidence of construction worker falls in the future. While data from January 1990 through October 2001 were examined, particular emphasis was placed on fall accidents that occurred in the last 5 years of this time interval, a period when more data were accumulated and coded in the OSHA investigation reports. Results show that most fall accidents take place at elevations of less than 9.15 m (30 ft), occurring primarily on new construction projects of commercial buildings and residential projects of relatively low construction cost. Furthermore, experience does not seem to diminish accident occurrence; hazards are often misjudged by workers; and various other patterns can also be observed. Most alarming, the results show that fall accidents account for a growing proportion of the total number of construction worker fatalities.