OSHA's "Fatal Four" & Construction Hazards
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has identified the four most common causes of construction worker fatalities, known as the "Fatal Four." These four hazard categories account for more than half of all construction worker deaths each year: falls, struck-by incidents, electrocution, and caught-in/between accidents.
Understanding these hazards is critical to both preventing construction accidents and establishing liability when they occur. Our attorneys are experienced in all types of construction accident claims and use OSHA standards and violation records to build strong cases for injured workers.
Falls from Heights
Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry. Workers who perform tasks on scaffolding, ladders, roofs, elevated platforms, and steel structures face the constant risk of falling. When employers and contractors fail to provide proper fall protection, the consequences can be devastating.
OSHA requires fall protection for workers at heights of six feet or more in the construction industry. This includes guardrails, safety nets, and personal fall arrest systems. When these protections are absent or inadequate, employers and general contractors may be held liable for resulting injuries.
- Scaffold collapses and falls from scaffolding
- Ladder accidents and falls from ladders
- Falls from roofs during roofing operations
- Falls through floor openings and skylights
- Falls from elevated work platforms and steel structures
Struck-By Accidents
Struck-by accidents occur when a worker is hit by a falling object, a swinging crane load, a moving vehicle, or flying debris on a construction site. These accidents are the second leading cause of construction fatalities and can cause traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, and death.
Employers are required to ensure that workers wear hard hats, that materials are properly secured, and that heavy equipment operators maintain safe distances from workers on foot. Failure to enforce these safety measures can result in liability for struck-by injuries.
Caught-In/Between Accidents
Caught-in/between accidents happen when a worker is caught, crushed, or compressed between two or more objects. These incidents often involve unguarded machinery, collapsing materials, or vehicles backing into workers against fixed objects. The injuries from caught-in/between accidents are often catastrophic, including amputations, crush injuries, and fatalities.
Our attorneys investigate caught-in/between accidents to determine whether proper safety guards were in place, whether lockout/tagout procedures were followed, and whether adequate training was provided to workers operating dangerous equipment.
Electrocution
Construction workers face electrocution risks from overhead power lines, exposed wiring, improperly grounded equipment, and contact with live electrical components. Electrocution can cause severe burns, cardiac arrest, nerve damage, and death. Even non-fatal electrical injuries can result in long-term complications and disability.
OSHA has strict regulations regarding electrical safety on construction sites, including minimum clearance distances from power lines, ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) requirements, and proper insulation and grounding of electrical equipment. Violations of these standards are frequently cited after electrocution accidents.
Heavy Equipment Accidents
Construction sites rely on heavy machinery including cranes, forklifts, excavators, bulldozers, and dump trucks. When this equipment malfunctions, is improperly operated, or lacks adequate safety features, workers can suffer life-altering injuries.
Heavy equipment accident claims may involve the equipment operator, the construction company, the equipment manufacturer, or maintenance contractors. Our attorneys identify all potentially liable parties and pursue full compensation for injured workers.
- Crane collapses and load drops
- Forklift tip-overs and collisions
- Excavator and backhoe accidents
- Dump truck and haul vehicle incidents
Trench Collapses
Trench collapses are among the most deadly construction accidents. When a trench wall caves in, workers can be buried under thousands of pounds of soil within seconds. Suffocation, crush injuries, and death are common outcomes of trench collapses.
OSHA requires protective systems for all trenches five feet deep or more, including sloping, shoring, or trench boxes. Despite these requirements, trench collapses continue to occur when contractors cut corners on safety. Our attorneys aggressively pursue claims against contractors who fail to protect workers in trenching operations.