Any site can have its own challenges, but fall protection is certainly one of the biggest problems in construction. In 2015 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, falls in construction accounted for 364 out of 937 total fatal accidents – 38.8%. Struck by, electrocution and caught between accidents accounted for another 25% of the total. According to OSHA, fall protection was the most cited regulation in the construction industry in fiscal year 2016.
Another concern in construction is the new silica regulation – 29 CFR 1926.1153. OSHA estimates that it will impact over 2 million construction workers when it is implemented starting 23 June of this year. OSHA has estimated that full implementation of the regulations in both construction and general industry will prevent over 900 new cases of silicosis annually.