When you begin a new job in Maryland, you may be required to take a workplace safety course or attend training on how to stay safe while on-the-job. Some occupations, however, are more dangerous than others, and some people make decisions that could lead to either an injury or even death depending on the circumstances. In 2014, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration reported that 4,386 people died in workplace accidents across the nation. Of those deaths, 20.5 percent were in construction-related positions. In the construction industry, the top four causes of worker fatalities are often referred to as the fatal four.
When looking at construction worker deaths, more than 60.6 percent of fatalities were attributed to one of the following top four common reasons. Falls are the most common cause of construction worker injuries and death in the U.S., accounting for nearly 40 percent of all fatal four fatalities. Not only does this include people who fell from a height, but those who experienced a slip-and-fall accident that caused a fatal injury as well.
Workers who are killed by electrocution or from being hit by an object are also part of the top four fatalities in the construction industry. The final cause of death involves workers who are caught in a piece of equipment, compressed in a machine or crushed in a structure at the job site. Although many companies work hard to ensure their employees are equipped with the knowledge they need to keep safe at work, there are some businesses that are negligent in taking responsibility.
This information is intended to educate and should not be taken as legal advice.