In the United States, over 5,000 workers lose their lives while performing their jobs each year in the construction sector.  A constrained budget is the main problem of the construction sector, which hinders them from investing in technology, marketing campaigns, and business growth. Through this, their workforce is also affected by financial barriers as they cannot offer a safe workplace. 

Generally, these businesses have just hired novices who are still in their first year of employment, and they are the ones who, due to lack of training and experience, are more at risk of getting injured at the workplace. 

The number of injury claims from these beginners is concerning, especially in the construction industry, where about half of the claims originated from these workers during their first years. Also, the beginners in the construction industry constitute 48% of the bill claimed in this case.

Such figures demonstrate that these construction sectors are subject to the pressure of spending on injury-related expenses as they are the ones that are mostly affected by this. In addition, they also present the situation where one in every five small businesses ends in the first year.

Big organizations can be in a position to cover the financial toll that workplace accidents bring. However, small construction firms may end up where such losses lead to the company’s closure.

It is important to establish a safe working environment that gives all the workers, both those in small firms and those in big firms, equal access to protection. Nevertheless, the question remains on the most efficient way to achieve the same goal, particularly for startups.

This article discusses practical methods to enhance workplace safety for owners of small businesses, which incorporates tips from the OSHA 10 Construction course that is required for employees’ safety training and skills development.

Statistics about the Construction Industry’s Fatalities

All construction activities are very risky, and this results in a rise in the number of people who lose their lives as well as suffer injuries. This is a dangerous profession since it involves heavy machinery, physical work, and sometimes working above the ground.

Second Only to Truck Drivers

The workers in the construction sector are in second place because they are just one step behind the truck drivers, who have the most fatal jobs in the workplace.

One Out Of Every Five Deaths

About 20% of workplace fatalities result from construction in America.

Rise In The Number Of Fatalities

The report’s data indicates that there was an increase in the number of deaths occurring on construction sites by 11% in 2022 compared to the previous year.

Implications for Hispanic or Latino Foreign-born Workers:

Over a hundred and fifty percent (150%) of those who died were migrant Hispanic workers from Mexico.

Fatalities During Year 2022

In 2022, one thousand and fifty-six employees who worked in construction lost their lives through work-related accidents.

Fatal Injury Rate at its Peak

As statistics indicate, among all the occupations in the world, construction has a 1% yearly fatality rate, which is the highest risk.

The Fatal Four

This includes falling, being struck by an object, getting caught between objects, and electrocution, which accounts for 65 percent of all construction-related deaths.

The figures on occupational accidents suggest how life-threatening working in the construction sector can be. There is no doubt that training for safety purposes is a critical concern to be taken into consideration. Workplace hazards can be solved through the OSHA 10-hour course as it equips workers with general safety principles about construction industry necessities.

This kind of training becomes of vital importance when it comes to mitigating workplace risks caused by job fatalities and workplace injuries since its focus lies on identifying hazards, creating awareness regarding them, and helping employers deal with them at the workplace.

Those involved in OSHA 10-hour course provision have reported positive impacts on the construction safety measures. It promotes their welfare while fostering a safety culture across sectors within the entire sector.

Enhancing Workplace Safety: OSHA’s Contributions and Consequences over the Decades

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), as we know, has played a critical role in the safety of work environments for decades. 

Limited Inspectors for a Huge Workforce

Being the smallest team, comprising only about a thousand and eight hundred inspectors, responsible for monitoring the safety and health of the labor force of about 130 million workers from about 8 million workplaces, the ratio becomes appallingly high, at one inspector for every 70,000 employees. In addition to these limitations, OSHA’s operational capabilities extend nationwide, with their regional offices of 10 and local offices of 85.

Budget Growth Over Years

On budgetary issues, the Office of Safety and Health Administration’s budget grew by $20,767,000 from $591,233,000 in FY 2021 to $612 million in FY 2022. Eventually, it ended up at $632 million in FY 2023. These funds were in sync with OSHA’s unwavering pledge to ensure the safety of workers through inspecting facilities, as 34,267 federal evaluations were conducted in FY 2023.

Decrease in Worker Fatalities

The OSHA’s performance in the reduction of occupational fatalities is quite apparent. In 2022, however, the number of work-related fatalities dropped from 5,486 to 3.7 per 100,000 employees, or the same level. These numbers are great progress compared to the past. 

Top Violations Indicating Focus Areas

The fact is made clearer by giving examples of violations of the same nature that have happened more than once. The violations concerning the fall protections in construction hazard communication and respiratory protection are addressed first, which shed light on the areas of high priority.

OSHA’s Impact on Workplace Safety

OSHA has greatly contributed to the safety of workplaces to a point that is worth noting. 

Significant Reduction in Worker Deaths

Astonishingly, since its inception, worker fatalities have witnessed a deteriorating trend. It has been estimated that the average figure was 38 deaths per day in 1970, and it is now 15 in 2022. 

Lower Injury and Illness Rates

Another major success is the noticeable decline in the rate of injuries and illnesses, which plummeted from 10.9 per 100 workers in 1972 to 2.7 in 2022 only.

This is one of the ways through which OSHA is proving to be a strong advocate for safety protocols. It also shows that the safety improvement process is still ongoing. Thus, there is a need for continuous attention, education, and compliance with safety standards to keep safety improvement progressing and make it even better in all industries.

OSHA 10 Hour Construction Course- Key Points

 

The OSHA 10 Hour Construction course aims at workers who need a basic understanding of workplace safety principles. The 10-hour OSHA course, although shorter than the 30-hour OSHA course one, is where employees will learn what safety and health issues should concern them. This curriculum encompasses a broad spectrum of introductory topics pivotal for maintaining workplace safety, including:

Identifying Hazards

The participants will learn to sense the dangers particular to their specific industry. They will be more vigilant and prepared because of this.

Preventing and Controlling Hazards

The course takes the employees through the competencies of how to identify hazardous situations and prevent them from escalating by taking effective actions.

Foundations of Hazard Management

The attendees will be provided with effective ways and tools to prevent damaging occurrences. Hence, a safety culture in which everybody is actively interested is established.

Understanding Worker Rights

Employees have to have resources for them to know what their entitlements are, for instance, their right to a safe and healthy workplace, their understanding of hazards, and the process of reporting safety concerns.

Learning about Employer Responsibilities

The Program has highlighted the duties and responsibilities that the employer has in maintaining the safety and health of their workers.

Filing Complaints with OSHA

Workers are coached on how they can file complaints to OSHA if they find that the workplace is violating safety standards.

Program Duration and Certification

The training program is designed as a 10-hour one, and it can be divided into several time intervals or be done all at once, with the preference of the option chosen by the provider. If one completes the complete training courses, then s/he is issued with the OSHA 10-Hour Training Program Completion Card. It indicates that they have a good knowledge of workplace safety and health matters, and thereby, their opportunities in the job market are improved in fields where strict adherence to safety policies is the norm.

Conclusion

Over the years, OSHA has worked hard to help organizations achieve a safe and sound workplace, especially for the construction industry. The statistics above show how vulnerable workers working at construction sites are. 

Therefore, employers must train their employees with OSHA 10-Hour Construction courses. These courses will not only prove beneficial for the lives of employees but also bring revenue and profits to your company.