What Are the Four Common Types of Struck-By Hazards?

How many categories of struck-by hazards are there? Basically, four.

The primary way to categorize struck-by hazards is according to the striking object's movement. Construction workers can be:

• Struck by a flying object
• Struck by a falling object
• Struck by a swinging object
• Struck by a rolling object

But the type of object is also a critical piece of information.

Especially since approximately 75% of struck-by fatalities involve heavy equipment (including vehicles).

In fact, getting hit by a vehicle is such a common phenomenon in construction that construction workers account for one in four workplace "struck by vehicle" deaths. More than any other occupation.

Examples of Struck-By Hazards

Examples of struck-by hazards include circumstances that put workers at risk of being struck by:

• A moving vehicle or piece of heavy equipment
• Improperly stacked materials that slide, tip over, or collapse
• Flying particles during an abrasive or cutting process
• An improperly controlled power tool
• A load of materials mid-transport
• Materials that are falling due to rigging failure
• Tools or materials dropped by someone working on a higher level
• Another person falling off a higher level
• Compressed air
• A nail from a nail gun
• An improperly braced or shored-up structure that collapses

OSHA Struck-By Hazards: What Are the Standards?

As you can see from the examples above, many potential struck-by hazards lurking around a construction site. So it makes sense that no standard covers OSHA struck-by hazards.

Since three in four struck-by fatalities involve heavy equipment, standards relevant to safety have many rules built in to protect workers from being struck by all or part of a vehicle.

The Signs, Signals, and Barricades standard (§1926 Subpart G) is particularly relevant to struck-by hazards. It requires:

• Warning signs to alert new site entrants of potential hazards
• Temporary traffic control during road construction to reduce the risk posed by civilian vehicles
• Flaggers wearing warning garments which use various safety devices and signs to control civilian and work traffic
• Crane and hoist signals (incorporated from ANSI) that allow work to be directed by someone on the ground

The Motor Vehicle standard (§1926.601) covers off-highway sites not open to public traffic. There are many requirements to prevent struck-by accidents, including:

• Pre-shift vehicle inspections to ensure that all parts and accessories are in safe working condition
• Warning requirements for vehicles with an obstructed rear view (like a backup alarm)
• Precautions for vehicles with dumping or lifting devices
• Wheel chocks for heavy equipment parked on an incline
• Cab shields or canopies to protect the driver on cars that are loaded by crane etc
• Warning garments appropriate for the level of light to make ground personnel more visible

Similar and additional requirements exist in other sections of §1926 Subpart O for materials-handling equipment, pile driving equipment, equipment fitted with swinging booms or slings, and more.

Cranes are another significant source of heavy equipment struck-by incidents. The standard for cranes and derricks (§1926 Subpart CC) includes sections on signals, work area control, keeping clear of the load, controlled load lowering, and hoisting personnel.

Of course, there are also standards designed to prevent struck-by incidents that don't include heavy equipment. These include standards for:

• Materials handling, storage, use, and disposal (§1926 Subpart H)
• Scaffolds (§1926 Subpart L), mainly falling object protection (§1926.451(h))
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (§1926 Subpart E), especially head protection (§1926.100) and eye/face protection (§1926.102)

Online Safety Training for OSHA Struck-By Hazards

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Check out Construction safety courses relevant to struck-by hazards like Focus Four Injury Prevention, Motor Vehicle Safety, Materials Handling, and Personal Protective Equipment.

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