The Focus Four Hazards have accounted for the vast majority of injuries and fatalities in the construction industry. OSHA has initiated the “Focus Four Hazards” campaign from March through June in 2020. The goal of this campaign is to improve recognition, evaluation, and control of these hazards through the delivery of toolbox talks for employers to provide to their workers.
Construction’s “Fatal Four”
Out of 5250* worker fatalities in private industry in calendar year 2018, 1008 or ~20% were in construction―that is, one in five worker deaths last year were in construction.
The leading causes of worker deaths on construction sites were falls, followed by struck-by, electrocution, and caught-in/between. These “Fatal Four” hazards were responsible for well over half (59%) of the construction worker deaths in 2018*, according to BLS reports.
- Falls — 338 out of 1008 total deaths in construction in CY 2018 (34%)
- Struck by Object – 112 (11%)
- Electrocutions – 86 (9%)
- Caught-in/between* – 55 (6%)
*This category includes construction workers killed when caught-in or compressed by equipment or objects, and struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material
