IntroductionIntroduction Highway Construction and Work Safety way Construction and Work Safety

Concern to manyConcern to many

Construction workers, contractors, highway and safety Construction workers, contractors, highway and safety

agencies, regulatory agencies, transportation professionals agencies, regulatory agencies, transportation professionals

and engineers, trade associations, etc.and engineers, trade associations, etc.

• Highway construction is one of the most hazardous Highway construction is one of the most hazardous

occupations in the USAoccupations in the USA

• In the highway and street construction industry In the highway and street construction industry

• Over 200,000 workers are injured a yearOver 200,000 workers are injured a year

• Over 100 workers are killed each yearOver 100 workers are killed each year

Fatality Statistics by Industry Fatality Statistics by Industry TypeType

1997 2001

Highway and Street Construction 39.21 44.65

All Construction except Highway and Street Construction Workers

18.13 18.99

Building Construction (Residential and Non-Residential)

13.91 11.30

TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

AVERAGE ANNUAL FATALITY RATE

(Deaths per 100,000 workers)

Risk of death of Highway and Street Construction workers is 2 to 4 times that of the remainder of the construction industry.

Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CPO1) Bureau of Labor Statistics

Fatality Statistics by Industry Fatality Statistics by Industry TypeType Highway work spaces are unique

Worker exposure to potential hazards include:

Construction – related hazards

Vehicle intrusion in the work place

Workers directing passing traffic and construction traffic

Interaction between workers, machinery, equipment, trucks

and vehicles within the work space

Restricted work space

Night operations

Pressure to complete project early exacerbates the situation

Causes of Highway Worker Causes of Highway Worker FatalitiesFatalities

• 120 to 130 workers die each year in highway and road

construction (H&SC) activities

• Majority of the fatalities (74%) for H&SC workers are due to:

• One-foot workers struck by passing vehicular traffic (23%)

• One-foot workers struck by construction vehicles (18%)

• Construction vehicle operator and occupant events (e.g.,

rollovers) (18%)

• Highway traffic accidents (15%)

*Sources: BLS CFOI data, 1992-1996; and SIC 1661 contractors OSHA 200 data as posted

on the National Work Zone Safety Information. Clearinghouse website at

http://wzsafety.tamu.edu/files/factsheet

Causes of Highway Worker Causes of Highway Worker InjuriesInjuries

• Majority of serious injuries are due to:

• Over-exertions (27%)

• Falls (23%)

• Being struck by other objects (17%)

• Tools, materials, equipment parts, trees. Etc.

*Source: BLS CFOI data, 1992-1996; and SIC Contractor OSHA 200 data (data log and *Source: BLS CFOI data, 1992-1996; and SIC Contractor OSHA 200 data (data log and summary) as posted on the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse summary) as posted on the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse

website at http://wzsafety.tamu.edu/files/factsheetwebsite at http://wzsafety.tamu.edu/files/factsheet

Causes of Highway Worker Causes of Highway Worker FatalitiesFatalities

• The number of injuries and fatalities from traffic crashes far

outweigh the number of H&SC workers that are injured or

killed;

• Traffic crash data

• In the USA, in 2001:

• 2.9 million people were injured in traffic crashes

• 42,116 people were killed in traffic accidents

• Highway Work Accident Data

• In the USA each year, over 20,000 H&SC workers are seriously

injured

• In 2001, 132 H&SC workers were killed in the USA

Highway Safety vs. Construction Highway Safety vs. Construction SafetySafety

• For year 2001

• Highway traffic crashes-motorists

• 1,586 injuries per 100,000 licensed drivers

• 22 persons killed per 100,000 licensed drivers

• Highway and street construction workers

• 6,765 injuries per 100,000 workers

• 44.6 persons killed per 100,000 workers

National Work Zone Traffic Crash National Work Zone Traffic Crash TrendsTrends

*Source: Fatal Accident Reporting System

National Work Zone Traffic Crash National Work Zone Traffic Crash TrendsTrends

• Between 1992 and 1998

• A total of 152 H&SC workers were killed from being

struck by a vehicle from passing traffic

• On average 25 workers are killed per year from

intruding vehicles

National Work Zone Traffic Crash National Work Zone Traffic Crash TrendsTrends

Distribution of Work Zone Distribution of Work Zone Fatalities by Occupation on Fatalities by Occupation on

AverageAverage

Other trades33%

Truck drivers9%

Construction laborers

42%

Operating engineers

9%

Supervisors7%

Source: NIOSH/CDC. “Deaths Caused by Vehicles and Heavy Equipment on Construction Sites”, Sept. 2002

Events Leading to H&SC Worker Events Leading to H&SC Worker FatalitiesFatalities

Collision between Vehicles

10%

Noncollision Highway Incidents

9%

Nonhighway Transportation

Incident8%

Highway Transportation

Incident23%

Caught in Equipment or

Object5%

Struck by Object7%

Struck by Falling Object

4% Contact with Objects and

Equipment14%

Fall to Lower Level3%Harmful

Substances or Environment

5%

Contact with Current

(Electrocution)4%

All Others8%

(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Hazard to On-Foot Workers; Type Hazard to On-Foot Workers; Type of Barrierof Barrier

No Rigid barriers to No Rigid barriers to separate workers from separate workers from

passing trafficpassing traffic

Hazard to On-Foot Workers: Too Hazard to On-Foot Workers: Too Close to Traffic LaneClose to Traffic Lane

Truck may Truck may be be

traveling traveling at a high at a high

speedspeed

Overhead Power LinesOverhead Power Lines

Truck/equipment in potential contact with overhead power lines, which may result in electrocution

Improper Personal Improper Personal Protective EquipmentProtective Equipment

No steel No steel toed shoes toed shoes

No shirts (and No shirts (and other PPEother PPE)

Using cell phone in middle of the lane

(distraction)

Importance of TrainingImportance of Training

• Improve knowledge, skills, ability and attitude

in order to perform construction related

activities safely and efficiently

• Increase awareness of job hazards and

methods to abate them

• Improve safety for workers and reduce

injuries/fatalities

Other Training Material AvailableOther Training Material Available

• Occupational Safety and Health Administrators

(OSHA)

• “10 hour training course on Roadway

Construction Industy”

• Htpp://www.artba.org/pdf/2003

• Michigan Road Builders Association, (MRBA)

• “Heavy/Highway Construction Safety Best

Practices”

• Southern California Contractors Association,

INVC

Importance of TrainingImportance of Training

• Improve knowledge, skills, ability and attitude

in order to perform construction related

activities safely and efficiently

• Increase awareness of job hazards and

methods to abate them

• Improve safety for workers and reduce

injuries/fatalities

Other Training Material AvailableOther Training Material Available

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s

(OSHA)

• “10-hour training course on roadway

construction industry”

• http://artba.org/pdf/2003 10 hour overview.pdf

• Southern California Contractors Association, Inc.

• “Safety Manual for Workers on Roadways open

to Motorists”

• http://www.sccaweb.org/safetytraining.htm

More Training Materials More Training Materials AvailableAvailable

• National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health/Center for Disease Control and Prevention

(NIOSH/CDC)

• “Building Safer Highway Work Zones;

Measures to Prevent Worker Injuries from

Vehicles and Equipment”

• http://www/cdc.gov/niosh/201128.html

Mark Hebson, Administrative AgentMark Hebson, Administrative Agent22925 Arlington, Suite #122925 Arlington, Suite #1

Torrance, CA 90501Torrance, CA 90501Phone: (310) 530-9662Phone: (310) 530-9662

Fax: (310) 530-0081Fax: (310) 530-0081Website: www.socattrade.orgWebsite: www.socattrade.org