Every year construction workers are killed on the job due to workplace accidents and mismanaged safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) was called together in 1970 by United States Congress and is now the governing body to preventing workplace injuries and fatalities.

Each year, OSHA gathers data from across the country and puts together a summary of that lists most frequent accidents, types of accident, types of violations, etc.  The fatal four is a term for the four most common job site accidents that lead to death.

Year after year OSHA reports these types of accidents as most likely to occur on site:

1. Falls
2. Struck-by-object accidents
3. Electrocution
4. Caught-in-between accidents

What are the fatal four? 

As mentioned above, the fatal four is a term used for the four most common job site accidents that lead to deaths on site.

For construction workers familiar with OSHA training (OSHA 10 & OSHA30), the courses were designed to address the prevention of fatal four accidents. There are specific courses that address one of the fatal four as opposed to all four, which we have listed below. However, many general contractors will require mandatory OSHA training for workers in order to appropriately educate workers on fatal four prevention.

The Fatal Four: 

1. Falls

In 2017, falls were the most frequent cause of job site fatalities in the construction industry. Nearly 40% of the total number of deaths in construction were the result of falls and each year we continue to see this type of accident at the top of reports on construction deaths.

• Safety Statistic: 391 out of 971 total death in construction were falls, which represents 39.2% (OSHA, 2017).

Proper fall protection gear and fall protection training is something that all workers on job sites should consider, and in most cases job sites often mark this type of training and equipment as mandatory. There are a variety of safety specific courses that cover fall related injuries and fall protection, including:

• Fall Protection Awareness for Construction
• 100% Fall Protection in Construction
• Fall Protection Equipment Training

2. Struck-by-Object

In 2017, struck-by-object accidents were the second leading cause of job site fatalities in the construction industry. Over 8% of the total number of deaths in construction were the result of struck-by-object accidents.

• Safety Statistic: 80 out of 971 total death in construction were struck-by-object accidents, which represents 8.2% (OSHA, 2017).

Proper training for awareness and protection from struck-by-object incidents can save a construction worker’s life on the job site. There are a variety of safety specific courses that cover struck-by-object awareness and prevention, including:

• Struck-By Fatality Prevention for Construction

3. Electrocution

In 2017, electrocution accidents were the third leading cause of job site fatalities in the construction industry. Over 7% of the total number of deaths in construction were the result of electrocution incidents.

• Safety Statistic: 71 out of 971 total death in construction were struck-by-object accidents, which represents 7.3% (OSHA, 2017).

Proper training for awareness and protection from electrocution can save a construction worker’s life on the job site. There are a variety of safety specific courses that cover electrocution awareness and prevention, including:

• Fatality Prevention Electrocution Hazards

4. Caught-in-Between

In 2017, caught-in-between accidents were the fourth and final leading cause of job site fatalities in the construction industry when it comes to rounding the fatal four. Over 5% of the total number of deaths in construction were the result of caught-in-between incidents.

• Safety Statistic: 50 out of 971 total death in construction were struck-by-object accidents, which represents 5.1% (OSHA, 2017).

Proper training for awareness and protection from caught-in-between accidents can save a construction worker’s life on the job site. There are a variety of safety specific courses that cover electrocution awareness and prevention, including:

• Fatality Prevention Caught-in-Between

The Fatal Four Infographic

We’ve designed a graphic that outlines the data in this article. Download and share with your teams, post this in your coffee rooms on site, and spread the awareness about fatal four prevention.

Build a safer job site with myComply!

Save the infographic below to your job site safety bulletins. Click on the link or the photo to view a downloadable PDF.

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See how our company is helping thousands of contractors keep track of training and promote safer job sites by preventing the fatal four.

(Link to Article) Certification management platform aims to help prevent the ‘fatal four’ on job sites.