Category: Construction
Protecting Workers and the Public from Wildfire Smoke
The Canadian wildfires highlight the hazard of wildfire smoke, an issue faced annually by many communities across the United States. In this blog, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and National Center for Environmental Health teamed up with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide Read More >
Posted on by 4 CommentsPrevention of Injuries and Fatalities Involving Overturn of Drill Rigs and other Specialty Equipment for Foundation Construction
Introduction Every year, drill rigs and other heavy, specialty equipment used for deep foundation construction (Figure 1) overturn potentially causing injuries and fatalities, as well as damage to the surrounding sites. There are many safety hazards associated with working around this heavy equipment, including the “Focus Four Hazards”: falls, caught-in or -between, struck-by, and electrocution. Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsTome medidas ahora para prevenir las enfermedades relacionadas con el calor en el trabajo
Antes de que comience el verano debemos prever las exposiciones al calor relacionadas con el trabajo y los posibles casos de enfermedades relacionadas con el calor entre los trabajadores. La exposición al calor, junto con la actividad física y otros factores ambientales, pueden aumentar la temperatura del cuerpo y causar estrés por calor. El cuerpo Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentLos cascos para la construcción y las lesiones cerebrales traumáticas relacionadas con el trabajo
Una lesión cerebral traumática (TBI, por sus siglas en inglés) es una perturbación en el funcionamiento normal del cerebro que puede ser causada por un golpe, una sacudida o una lesión penetrante en la cabeza. Las TBI son un problema de salud pública a nivel mundial y una de las causas principales de muerte Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentStanding Down to Prevent Falls in Construction
Overview Construction workers are at risk for injuries from many sources, but falls continue to be the leading cause of death (accounting for 37% [379 out of the 1015 fatalities] of all construction fatalities in 2021). This year marks the 10th annual National Safety Stand-Down to prevent falls in construction, an event to raise awareness Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsStruck-By Injuries in the Construction Sector: Common Hazards, Barriers, and Opportunities to Keep Workers Safe
Struck-By Injuries Struck-by injuries occur from violent contact or impact between an object or piece of equipment and a person. Struck-by injuries can be fatal, and even when a worker is not seriously injured can result in days off work to recover. To help prevent struck-by injuries, companies are encouraged to have a stand-down; a Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentCritical Steps Your Workplace Can Take Today to Prevent Suicide
Employers can play a vital role in suicide prevention. Historically, suicide, mental health, and well-being have been underrepresented in workplace health and safety efforts, but this is changing. In some European countries, there are workplace standards for workplace psychosocial hazards that put workers at risk for suicide. Additionally, in France, employers have been made Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentPersonal Protective Equipment Fit in the Construction Sector
The construction sector includes a diverse population of workers exposed to many different types of hazards. An important way to prevent occupational illness and injury related to these hazards is by implementing the hierarchy of controls. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is the last control in the hierarchy, but PPE is particularly important when the other Read More >
Posted on by 3 CommentsPsychosocial Hazards Often Overlooked in Construction Industry
Why Do Psychosocial Factors of Work Matter? The construction industry has considerable safety and health hazards that result in high rates of injury, illness, and fatality. Common hazards include noise, fall, electrical, and chemical hazards. Approximately 60% of all construction fatalities each year can be attributed to the ‘focus four’ hazards of falls, struck-by, caught Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsConstruction Helmets and Work-related Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury. TBIs are a global public health problem and is a leading cause of injury-related death and disability [1]. While TBIs can be mild, some Read More >
Posted on by 12 CommentsExposure Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Refined Coal Tar Sealant Applications
Coal tar sealants are applied as a protective coating for paved surfaces. Many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are found in these sealants. Several of these PAHs are known or suspected to cause, or increase the risk of developing cancer, but to date there has been no published research on workplace exposures to coal-tar-based sealant. Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentEducation and Training Concerning Masks and Respirators for Construction Workers
Various types of masks and respirators are receiving increased attention in many workplaces, including on construction sites. Use of masks is part of a multi-layered prevention strategy for COVID-19, and many workplaces require or encourage employees to wear them. Masks are designed to cover a person’s mouth and nose to help contain large droplets or Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentWelder’s Anthrax
A new journal article from researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Bacterial Special Pathogens Branch describes cases of welder’s anthrax, a newly identified, deadly occupational disease. Welder’s anthrax is defined as pneumonia in a metalworker caused by bacteria within the Read More >
Posted on by 8 CommentsFalls Campaign 2022: Making Research Work
Falls are the leading cause of death among construction workers. Tragically, each year roughly 300–400 construction workers fall to their deaths, most often while working at heights on roofs, ladders, and scaffolds. In 2020, out of 1,034 falls that resulted in death in the construction industry, 353 were due to falls from a height Read More >
Posted on by Leave a commentPreventing Struck-by Fatalities Related to Excavator Quick Couplers, Buckets, and Attachments
The 3rd annual National Stand-Down to Prevent Struck-by Incidents will take place April 11–15, 2022. As part of these efforts, NIOSH and others are highlighting the lethal struck-by risk related to excavator quick couplers. A quick coupler failure can cause the attachment to fall suddenly, causing death, injury, and/or damage to the excavator and attachment. Read More >
Posted on by 2 CommentsPartnering to Design Safe and Healthy Workplaces for the Construction Workforce
The NIOSH Office of Construction Safety and Health has partnered with industry, government, academia, insurance companies, and labor to address construction-related injuries and fatalities. Working together, these partnerships can tackle many of the serious issues the Construction industry faces today. Prevention through Design (PtD) is an important approach to addressing many of these hazards. A Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentExoskeletons: Potential for Preventing Work-related Musculoskeletal Injuries and Disorders in Construction Workplaces
Construction workers are at high risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). One potential tool to prevent WMSDs is the use of exoskeletons, which are assistive devices that can be suitable for construction and other industrial work (see related NIOSH pages on robotics and the Center for Occupational Robotics Research). Exoskeletons can be categorized as passive Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentUsing CPWR’s Small Study Program to Explore Emerging and Persistent Health and Safety Hazards and Innovative Solutions in the Construction Industry
Construction is a complex and high hazard industry. Every day, millions of construction workers are employed on worksites across the United States. Each worksite and type of construction (e.g., residential, highway) involves variables including type of work performed (e.g., electrical, plumbing), number of employers and employees, project designs, materials and products used, and working Read More >
Posted on by 1 CommentAddressing the Opioid Overdose Epidemic in Construction: Minimize Work Factors that Cause Injury and Pain
Construction workers have been shown in many studies to have high rates of death from overdose compared to workers in other occupations. For example, a study in 2018 showed that, among all occupations, construction workers had the highest rate of death from overdose, including overdose from heroin. Data from 2011-2016 showed that construction workers experienced 15% of all workplace overdose deaths. Read More >
Posted on by Leave a comment50 Years of NIOSH Construction Safety and Health Research
Construction is a high hazard industry with high rates of illnesses and injuries. The construction industry comprises not only a wide range of activities involving residential and commercial building construction, but also heavy and civil engineering construction, such as water and sewer lines, highways, and bridges. Specialty trades within the sector include masonry, roofing, plumbing, electrical, Read More >
Posted on by 2 Comments