Construction Site Safety: Types of Accidents and How to Navigate Them in Construction 

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On the construction site, danger is always just a few steps away. According to Construction Dive, about one in five occupational deaths in 2023 occurred at construction workplaces.  

So, how do we prevent such accidents from becoming a reality and ensure the safety of our workers? Construction companies should be equipped with all the necessary skills to identify what causes fatal accidents on their sites and implement risk management plans. From the common causes of death to the most preventable ones, we have collected a list of construction accidents and safety rules to help you improve safety and protect your employees.

Table of contents

• What is Construction Site Safety?
• Types of Accidents that Occur on the Construction Site
• Insurance Types for Ensuring Construction Site Safety
• Construction Site Safety Rules That Should Be Kept to Mitigate the Risks of Accidents 
• Conclusion

What Is Construction Site Safety? 

Construction site safety refers to the practices, protocols, and rules implemented on a construction site to reduce or eliminate potential hazards. Construction sites are usually full of activities that can expose the workers to dangers, like falling objects, working from the rooftops or scaffolding, using electrical circuits, exposure to heavy equipment, etc. Thus, engaging in these activities raises the risk of fatal injuries, making the construction site unsafe.

Construction site safety practices aim to eliminate these threats by maintaining safety rules, training, and regulatory requirements. While the construction site safety rules vary from one state to another, there are some universal practices that all companies should follow.

Types of Accidents that Occur Frequently on Construction Sites

Understanding and being aware of potential dangers is one of the most crucial steps in safety management. So, let’s start by looking at some of the most common construction site accidents and problems workers confront on the construction site.

Height-Related Accidents

Have you ever gotten shivers down your spine only by watching a construction employee working from the twenty-second floor?

Working at heights does not only seem scary – it is also pretty frightening. That’s because the construction industry accounts for over 46% of all fatal falls, slips, and trips. While working at heights, employees are exposed to a wide range of risks, like scaffolding, collapsing, or falling from ladders. 

Injuries caused by falls are more life-threatening and fatal than the other types of injuries. Surviving a fall of more than 30 feet is almost impossible. Usually, slips and trips can happen because there is something in the worker’s way, like materials or waste. Some slips and trips are also caused by working on uneven surfaces. To prevent such accidents, construction companies should also provide their employees with fall protection equipment and appropriate training. 

Getting caught in between objects or materials

Getting caught between objects is among the four main safety hazards defined by OSHA. It is caused when the worker is compressed between gigantic objects or equipment, killed by being stuck, or crushed by materials and collapsing structures. It can cause all types of injuries, but most accidents are fatal.

To mitigate the risks of such tragic situations, it is essential to take the necessary safety precautions. Construction workers should always wear proper PPE(personal protective equipment), such as high-visibility clothing. 

Demolition Accidents

The demolition of a building refers to the deliberate act of destroying, dismantling, or wrecking it, usually for reconstruction purposes or for building a different structure. Demolishing buildings that are no longer necessary is a delicate process that requires careful planning and execution.

Although it might seem simple for a person not well aware of the construction industry, demolition requires high precision. And when some companies fail to ensure that precision, demolition processes lead to fatal deaths for the workers and people nearby. Construction workers have to take extra precautions when demolition occurs in their vicinity. 

To ensure safety, companies must hire certified professionals with adequate expertise to take charge and provide safety harnesses, helmets, and other PPEs to the workers participating in the demolition process. Rudely neglecting these practices can result in grave consequences. 

Vibration-Related Injuries

Resulting in overexertion, Vibration-related injuries occur when construction workers operate heavy equipment such as jackhammers or bulldozers. Depending on the type of machinery, such vibrations will affect body parts differently. Vibration-related injuries, like back pain and musculoskeletal disorders, affect the body in multiple ways. Untimely prevention may lead to detrimental health issues, including but not limited to the following:

• Lumbar spine and connected nervous system irritation
• Internal organ disorders
• Cardiovascular issues
• Causing workers to experience chronic fatigue and distress
• Altered body movements

Fires and Explosions

The number of deaths resulting from fires and explosions is also high. OSHA has reported that, on average, the construction industry confronts 36 fire and explosion deaths annually. Fire and explosions can cause irreparable damage to the workers and people nearby. Uncontrolled ignition is one of the scariest cases on the construction site. Sparks from construction equipment and other heat sources can ignite flammable materials, resulting in massive fires. Other possible causes also include faulty wiring and the mixing of incompatible chemicals. 

Here’s a brief list of reasons why fire and explosion incidents take place: 

• Flammable liquids and materials left unattended in unsafe conditions
• Poorly maintained electrical wiring
• Inadequate safety protocols
• Chemical drums or tanks 
• Heated devices left unattended
• Blasting or explosive agents 
• Liquefied petroleum gas 
• Electrical crashes 
• Compressed gas cylinders

Crane and Forklift Accident

Cranes and forklifts are essential for any construction project since they help to complete the work faster and improve productivity. However, they also come with their drawbacks. Without a pro operating them, these machines can be risky. Most of the time, accidents involving cranes and forklifts occur due to improper use or a lack of maintenance.

If procedures are not followed correctly, this may physically harm workers or bystanders. Injuries include crushed bones, fractures, head trauma, and even fatal cases.

Here are some factors that can cause crane accidents:

• Snapping and breaking cables
• Poorly maintained brakes
• Overloading or exceeding weight limits
• Inadequate crane inspections
• Forgetting to check the equipment before operating
• Improperly trained operators
• Inconsistent communication between crane and ground workers
• Operator error

Trench Accidents

A trench is a kind of excavation that is deeper than its width and narrower than its length. It is a common sight in the construction industry, as many construction projects, such as house building, will need trenches at some phase. Builders use trenches to lay the foundations for structures and to connect pipes, cables, and other utilities.

Trenches can cause various accidents, including cave-ins, dangerous fumes or gases, or falling loads and objects from above. The most dangerous of these accidents is the cave-in of the worker inside the trench. The factors that can cause cave-in accidents include: 

• Poor protection systems on the site 
• Vibration from nearby traffic or equipment 
• Excavated materials placed too close to the trench 
• Not inspecting the trench before each shift, and especially neglecting it after different weather events
• Inadequate safety equipment like ladders or shelves for workers to escape if an emergency occurs
• Asphyxiation from soil particles, dust, and fumes

Exposure to Dangerous Chemicals and Toxins

In construction, the health and safety of the workers are at risk as most of them are often exposed to chemicals and toxins. Some of the common dangerous substances and chemicals include: 

• Glues 
• Acids 
• Pesticides 
• Gasoline fumes 
• Hot tars 
• Carbon monoxides 
• Paints 
• Insulation materials 
• Solvents 
• Asbestos 
• Cadmium 
• Silica 

Most of the illnesses or injuries caused by toxic substances might show up years after exposure. Some common diseases caused by them are lead poisoning, metal fume fever, cancer, and manganism.

Electrocution Cases

Electrocution is the severe injury or death caused by an electric shock, which is an electric current that passes through the body. Statistics show that he construction industry is responsible for over half of all electrocutions, resulting in massive fatalities and injuries in the workplace.

Electrocution causes mainly four types of injuries: 

Burns: Burns occur when the electric current passes through the body, causing tissue damage. These burns can be both external and internal and can result in long-term damage to skin, muscles, and bones.

Cardiac Arrest: Electric shock can disrupt the heart’s electrical system, leading to arrhythmias or even cardiac arrest. This is one of the most serious and potentially fatal consequences of electrocution.

Nerve Damage: The electrical current can cause nerve damage and create pain, numbness, weakness, or paralysis. Longer exposures to electrical currents have the potential to impact both motor and sensory nerves.

Muscle Injuries: Electric shock causing muscle contraction can lead to sprains, strains, or a muscle tear. 

Elevator Shaft Accidents

When elevators get stuck at the top of the building they can cause an open elevator shaft, and falling from that shaft may have a deadly outcome.

In construction, the elevator shafts are too narrow and extended, so the fall victims can get bruises, scrapes, or broken bones from the accident. Thus, if they do not have proper safety equipment, these accidents will cause more severe damage, like spinal damage, brain injuries, and even death. 

Important steps to consider to prevent elevator shaft accidents

• Safety engineers must regularly inspect the elevator shaft to avoid accidents from lifting and lowering elevators.
• Employers should provide workers with the necessary safety equipment, like harnesses and helmets, to protect them from potential harm.

Construction Insurance

In construction, unforeseen accidents are often unavoidable and can lead to significant financial loss. In such scenarios, construction insurance comes into view, providing coverage against such risks and ensuring construction site safety. Knowing about different insurance types is essential as it fosters a safer work environment for employees. Let’s dive deeper into the types of insurance and explore how each of those can help in mitigating the risk of protecting employees from potential damages. 

Builders Risk Insurance

COC or Course of Construction insurance, also known as builders risk insurance, protects property owners, contractors, or developers during major construction or reconstruction works. Typically COC covers the costs of reconstruction, the cost of labor needed to rebuild, off-site coverage, sewer backup, important records or papers, professional fees, off-site transit, and the existing structures(its actual cash value). 

As the values associated with big projects are pretty high, it is almost inevitable that the company protects its investment with COC insurance. With it, all the project stakeholders are protected if there’s a loss. 

Commercial & Contractor General Liability Insurance 

General liability insurance (GL), also known as business liability insurance, protects the construction company from a range of claims, including property damage, bodily injury, personal injury, etc. General liability insurance covers bodily injury or property damage liability, relevant medical payments, advertising and personal injury, and damage made to the premises that were rented for you. 

Errors & Omissions Insurance/ Professional Liability Insurance 

E&O insurance helps construction companies protect themselves from lawsuits that blame them for a mistake of professional services they haven’t made. 

This insurance covers the following: 

• the court costs
• attorney fees, which can cost from $3K up to %150K
• administrative costs (paying office managers or court reporters) 
• judgments or settlements, which can cost millions of dollars

Without E&O insurance, it would be too costly for construction companies to cover all the court costs and settlements on their own. 

Commercial Truck Insurance

As the name suggests, commercial truck insurance is the type of auto insurance for construction companies or truck businesses that use trucks and truck drivers a lot. This insurance provides financial aid and legally protects the company from property damage or bodily injuries, along with coverage for cargo and trucking equipment. 

On the other hand, commercial auto insurance covers a wider range of vehicles used by construction companies for different construction projects. 

Truck insurance covers almost all types of trucks, including:

• Pickup trucks 
• Cement mixers 
• Tow trucks
• Box trucks
• Dump trucks
• Tractors and semi-trucks

This insurance will help you in case a truck accident happens, and your driver got bodily injuries, or it caused an advertising injury to the company. It covers all the medical payments and property damage caused to the company. 

Inland Marine Insurance

The inland marine insurance covers the product transported overland. The type of products it covers from safety hazards include: 

• Computers (servers, laptops, etc.),
• Networking and communication equipment,
• Contracting and construction equipment,
• Medical, scientific equipment,
• Photography equipment.

This insurance will help construction companies protect their construction products and equipment when transported or delivered. 

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

This insurance, which is also known as workers’ comp, is required by law in almost every state. It is the primary way you can protect your workers from safety hazards. This insurance covers all the medical expenses and portions of lost wages when the employee gets injured on the job. Typical coverage includes: 

• Employee rehabilitation,
• Death benefits,
• Ongoing care costs,
• Lost wages,
• Medical expenses.

This insurance is mandatory: your construction company can’t work without it.

Construction Site Safety Rules That Should Be Kept to Mitigate the Risks of Accidents 

The construction site is full of dangers, and no one can guarantee that no accident will happen. Let’s skim through the most important and mandatory ones: 

• Providing Construction Site Safety Training For All Employees: Every employee should receive sufficient construction site safety training that will teach them how to follow the OSHA safety requirements to reduce the chance of severe injuries or death. 
• Holding Frequent Crew Safety Meetings, Raising Awareness: The entire crew should be aware of the potential safety hazards, so frequent crew safety meetings will help raise awareness and decrease the chance of accidents.
• Utilizing Protective Clothing And Gear: Without proper gear and clothing, the workers should not even visit the construction site. Otherwise, the safety hazards will become hundreds of times more fatal.
• Keeping the Workspace Clean: Keeping a construction site clean is an essential aspect of construction site safety. A clean and organized site helps prevent accidents, boosts worker efficiency, and contributes to overall site safety.
• Maintaining Proper Equipment and Tools: You need to ensure that all of the equipment and gear your construction workers use is in good shape. Otherwise, the malfunctioning tools might cause severe injuries and even deaths.
• Being Careful with Vehicles: Even if the equipment or vehicles are functioning, the workers still need to be cautious with them. Construction vehicles are sometimes hard to control, so the company should ensure that their employees pass specialized training courses and know how to use them properly.
• Following OSHA Guidelines and Reporting Any Dangerous Working Conditions: If any construction worker notices that a team member doesn’t follow OSHA guidelines and the risk of a safety hazard is high, he/she should instantly report to the company. This will help avoid big accidents by taking action soon enough.

Conclusion

Construction site safety should be a priority for all construction companies, as the construction site remains one of the most dangerous workplaces in the world. However, if the workers are equipped with enough knowledge and the company strictly follows the construction site safety rules, the number of incidents can be decreased. Hopefully, one day, we can look at the construction employee working on the roof and feel completely safe for him, knowing that the risk of fall or death is extremely low. For people committed to improving safety standards, collaborating with reliable construction software like Buildern can make all the difference.  It offers all the necessary tools and resources for builders taking steps towards reducing risks and ensuring overall safety in the construction site.

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