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create a toolbox talk for a mid-size mechanical contractor discuss dropped object incidents and protections

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Dropped object incidents are a critical construction hazard for a mid-size mechanical contractor because workers are often exposed to overhead work, open edges, shafts, scaffolds, ladders, and material handling activities. OSHA and industry fatality data consistently show that falls and struck-by hazards are among the leading causes of death in construction, and one-fifth of construction fatalities are from being struck by a falling object. Falling-object injuries can result from unsecured tools, loose materials, poor housekeeping, overloaded platforms, missing toe boards, unprotected openings, and inadequate supervision or training. [9] [6] [1]

For a toolbox talk, the core message should be: nothing goes overhead unless it is planned, controlled, and communicated.

Key hazard identification points:

  • Work above other crews, walkways, entrances, or occupied areas
  • Tools or parts used at height that could be dropped during installation, removal, or adjustment
  • Pipe, duct, valves, hangers, fasteners, anchors, and scrap stored near edges or openings
  • Open floors, shafts, stairwells, roof edges, scaffold platforms, and mezzanines
  • Hoisting, rigging, crane picks, material lifts, and hand-line transfers
  • Unsecured covers, planks, decking, or temporary platforms
  • Poor housekeeping that allows debris to be kicked, blown, or knocked off elevated surfaces
  • Demolition, drilling, cutting, or formwork removal that can release material unexpectedly

[4] [14] [3] Use a simple pre-task risk assessment before overhead or elevated work. A job hazard analysis should review the task, break it into steps, identify where dropped-object or struck-by hazards can occur, and assign controls using the hierarchy of controls. Start by eliminating the hazard where possible, then containing it, revising work procedures, and using PPE as the last layer. Prioritize jobs with severe injury potential, non-routine work, modified work, and tasks with a history of incidents or near misses. [8] [8] [8]

Risk assessment questions supervisors and crews should ask before starting:

  • What could fall, swing, collapse, roll, or be dislodged?
  • Who will be below, beside, or passing through the area?
  • Are there openings, shafts, edges, scaffold platforms, or incomplete decking?
  • Are tools tethered and are anchor points rated and suitable?
  • Are materials stacked, banded, chocked, tied down, or otherwise restrained?
  • Will vibration, wind, movement, or simultaneous operations loosen anything?
  • Do we need toe boards, debris netting, canopies, covers, or barricades?
  • Has an exclusion zone been established and communicated?
  • Is housekeeping good enough to prevent loose debris from being kicked off?
  • Is the crew trained, supervised, and authorized for the task?

[4] [14] [13] Dropped object prevention and protection measures:

  • Plan overhead work so it is minimized, isolated, and not performed above other workers unless absolutely necessary
  • Sequence work to keep lower levels clear during lifting, installation, demolition, or removal activities
  • Install guardrails, toe boards, screens, debris netting, canopies, or other falling-object protection where exposure exists
  • Fully plank or deck scaffold platforms and inspect them before each shift
  • Secure covers over holes and openings so they cannot shift or be removed accidentally
  • Tie down, cleat, chock, rack, or otherwise restrain materials, planks, and temporary platforms against displacement
  • Do not overload roofs, platforms, scaffolds, or staging areas with pipe, duct, block, debris, or equipment
  • Maintain good housekeeping; remove scrap, cutoffs, packaging, and loose hardware promptly
  • Use controlled access and barricades below overhead work
  • Stop work in high winds or when conditions could dislodge materials

[4] [5] [7] [14] Tool tethering should be mandatory whenever hand tools are used where a dropped tool could strike a person, damage equipment, or fall into a shaft, ceiling void, process area, or public space. Use purpose-built tethers and attachment points compatible with the tool weight and task. Inspect tethers, lanyards, carabiners, and anchor points before use; keep tether length as short as practical; and never create entanglement or trip hazards. Small items such as bolts, anchors, and fittings should be carried in closed pouches or containers, not balanced on rails or stored loosely in pockets. Workers should never throw tools or materials from height. [3] [12]

Material securing is especially important for mechanical contractors because pipe, duct sections, valves, supports, threaded rod, unistrut, insulation bundles, and sheet metal can shift or roll. Store materials away from edges and openings; use racks, chocks, banding, and positive restraints; secure loads during hoisting and staging; and verify that temporary supports are designed for the load. Never leave partially installed components unsecured. During dismantling or demolition, remove material in controlled pieces rather than allowing large sections to break free or collapse. [3] [7] [7]

Exclusion zones are one of the most effective struck-by controls. Barricade and mark the drop zone below overhead work, lifting operations, scaffold erection/dismantling, shaft work, and areas where materials could fall, swing, or bounce. Keep non-essential personnel out, control access routes, and assign a spotter when visibility or coordination is limited. If the public could be exposed, provide overhead protection, sidewalk sheds, or reroute pedestrian traffic. Workers should never pass under suspended loads or active overhead work unless the area is specifically engineered and controlled for that exposure. [3] [4] [14]

Overhead work requires tight coordination between supervisors and crews. Before starting, confirm the work package, access method, fall protection, dropped-object controls, communication method, and area isolation. Inspect ladders, scaffolds, platforms, covers, and anchorage points. Do not use makeshift access systems or unsecured ladders. Ensure scaffold platforms are fully planked or decked, access is safe, and workers are protected by guardrails or personal fall arrest systems where required. [2] [4] [7]

Minimum PPE expectations for dropped-object and struck-by exposure:

  • Hard hats at all times where overhead, falling, or flying object hazards exist
  • Safety glasses with side shields; upgrade to goggles or face shields for cutting, chipping, drilling, or grinding
  • High-visibility clothing where workers may be exposed to mobile equipment or site traffic
  • Gloves suited to the task and material handling hazards
  • Safety footwear with sturdy soles and toe protection appropriate to the work
  • Properly fitted fall protection equipment when exposed to fall hazards; harnesses must be worn and tied off when required
  • Additional PPE identified by the job hazard analysis

[3] [8] [11] PPE is essential but it is not the primary control. Hard hats and eye protection reduce injury severity, but they do not replace securing tools and materials, installing toe boards and covers, controlling access, or eliminating overhead exposure. Equipment must also fit the worker properly; poorly fitting PPE can create additional hazards or discourage use. [8] [11]

Incident reporting expectations should be clear: every dropped object, near miss, struck-by event, failed tether, dislodged material, or falling-material exposure must be reported immediately, even if no one is injured. Secure the area, provide medical aid if needed, preserve the scene when appropriate, and notify supervision promptly. Investigations should identify direct causes, contributing factors, and system failures such as poor planning, inadequate training, missing inspections, defective equipment, weak housekeeping, or lack of supervision. [14] [14]

Corrective actions after a dropped-object incident or near miss should include:

  • Stop the work and make the area safe
  • Remove damaged tools, tethers, rigging, ladders, planks, covers, or scaffold components from service
  • Reassess the task with a job hazard analysis before restarting
  • Identify whether engineering controls, barricades, toe boards, netting, or alternate sequencing are needed
  • Retrain affected workers and supervisors on the specific failure points
  • Verify competent-person inspections and supervisory checks are being completed
  • Document lessons learned and communicate them to all crews performing similar work
  • Apply progressive discipline when workers knowingly bypass critical controls

[8] [4] [14] For OSHA construction compliance, a mechanical contractor should at minimum ensure compliance with the core standards tied to elevated work and falling-object hazards: scaffolds under 29 CFR 1926\.451, fall protection under 29 CFR 1926\.501, fall protection criteria under 29 CFR 1926\.502, ladders under 29 CFR 1926\.1053, stairways and ladders under 29 CFR 1926\.1051, and fall protection training under 29 CFR 1926\.503\. These standards address guardrails, personal fall arrest systems, covers, toe boards, scaffold access, platform construction, inspections, and training documentation. [4] [4] [4] [4] [4] [4]

Supervisor responsibilities include planning the work, conducting and documenting pre-task hazard assessments, ensuring the right access equipment and falling-object controls are in place, enforcing exclusion zones, verifying PPE and fall protection use, inspecting scaffolds and work areas, stopping unsafe work, and making sure incidents and near misses are reported and corrected. Worker responsibilities include attending the toolbox talk, participating in the hazard assessment, inspecting their tools and PPE, using tethers and securing materials as required, staying out of barricaded areas, maintaining housekeeping, reporting hazards immediately, and refusing to work under uncontrolled overhead hazards. [8] [4] [10]

A practical toolbox talk close-out for your crews is: if it is above you, secure it; if it could fall, barricade it; if the area below cannot be protected, do not work overhead; and if anything drops or nearly drops, report it immediately so controls can be fixed before someone is seriously injured or killed. [1] [9]

14 source record(s)

Sources used for this answer

[1] The Price of Life: 2015 Report on Construction Fatalities in NYC

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# NYC DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT AND UNSAFE CONTRACTORS The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development maintains a list of "Enhanced Review" contractors, which is simply their list of contractors currently working on affordable housing projects that have prevailing wage, health and safety, or labor law violations. Our review found that 62 percent of the "Enhanced Review" contractors had been inspected by OSHA since 2009 based on a November 2014 list. Eighty-nine percent had OSHA violations, compared with 66 percent of all construction inspections in New York that cited violations. One of these 16 contractors was cited for an extraordinary 14 violations during a 2012 inspection, including two willful and a repeat violation. In 2013, the Daily News reported that this contractor had been paying workers "as little as $8 an hour even though it was required to pay more than $53 an hour" and was being made to pay back $600,000 in wages.13 Since 2012, the New York Daily News has reported that twelve of the 29 contractors on the list underpaid their workers; they were charged by the federal government and/or failed to pay prevailing wages. Some owed their workers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Ten of the twelve contractors had been inspected by OSHA and all but one had worker safety violations. Appendix B shows the results for all 29 listed contractors. In addition to the twelve contractors the Daily News cited for underpayment, the Daily News also reported on one contractor (MC & O Contracting) on the list for worker safety lapses. According to the Daily News, this contractor had an extraordinary 14 violations since 2004 and was assessed OSHA penalties totaling $266,000, an astronomical amount by OSHA standards. The Daily News also reported that the chief of another contractor, Great American Construction, was indicted for bribery. Great American was inspected three times since 2009 and serious violations were found each ti…

[2] Lives in the Balance: Immigrants and Workers at Elevated Heights at Greatest Risk in Construction

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# I. Findings by Standard Industrial Classification (cont.) ## A. Overall findings (cont.) When contractors flout these safety rules, they ignore the most important standards protecting construction workers at elevated heights. Violations of six additional OSHA standards that protect workers at elevated heights were less prevalent but also frequent. These standards include “fall protection systems criteria and practice,” “ladders," "fall protection training requirements," "ladder and stairway training program,” “ladder and stairway general requirements” “and "scaffolding training requirements." (See Appendix A for definitions of all eight standards that protect workers at elevated heights.) According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, falls are the leading cause of construction deaths in the nation, accounting for 31% of construction work-related fatalities in 2002. In its construction "eTool," OSHA warns the industry of the dangers of falls and the necessity of taking appropriate safety measures: "Almost all sites have unprotected sides and edges, wall openings, or floor holes at some point during construction. If these sides and openings are not protected at your site, injuries from falls or falling objects may result, ranging from sprains and concussions to death." The number of occupational fatalities due to falls has been steadily rising, highlighting the urgent need to improve fall prevention efforts. From 1992 to 2002, the number of occupational fall fatalities in the U.S. increased by 20%, from 600 to 719, with falls from a ladder rising from 78 to 126, falls from a roof from 108 to 143, and falls from a scaffold rising from 66 to 88. As noted in Workers Compensation Monitor, "Falls are 10 the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry" and "the trend is on the increase."11 4. OSHA commonly gave scaffolding and fall protection violations the agency's highest possible "gravity" score. OSHA assigns each violation a gravity score of 1 t…

[3] The Price of Life: 2015 Report on Construction Fatalities in NYC

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# APPENDIX A (cont.) ## ACCIDENTS REPORTED IN 2012 (cont.) February 10. "A construction worker was injured while removing a concrete bulkhead on the top of a makeshift platform. The platform was overloaded and collapsed approximately 20 feet into an open stairwell." March 2. "Three workers were performing water proofing on the foundation wall without sheeting or shoring. A trench approximately three feet by four feet caved in trapping one worker. The worker was extracted and taken to the hospital." March 6. "The Site Safety Manager reported to [redacted identifier] a construction worker fell approximately ten feet from an unsecured ladder and was taken to the hospital." In addition, [redacted identifier], "Failure to conduct worker site safety orientation program per site safety plan." March 22. "During demolition operations a section of the structure collapsed injuring three workers, one fatality." [redacted identifier] a stop work order and violation. April 3. "A 1 1/2 story wood frame building collapsed injuring four workers, one fatally." [redacted identifier] violations and a stop work order. April 13. "A scaffold, from which workers were performing a façade inspection, dropped one story. The left motor kept running and the emergency brake did not engage until the motor became jammed with a cable." Violations included, "Failure to provide designated site safety manager at time of inspection of incident," and "suspended scaffold motor & noted operating a hoist motor with a defective plate over descent lever or auto descent level could not be enough due to a bent plant protecting lever." April 13. A worker fell from the first floor to the basement. Violation noted, "Improperly erected scaffoldings." May 17. "A construction worker was fatally injured when he lost his footing and fell to the sidewalk shed below. The worker was attempting to retrieve his jacket and walked across unsecured planks that led from the fire escape to the stair tower. Violation st…

[4] Lives in the Balance: Immigrants and Workers at Elevated Heights at Greatest Risk in Construction

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# I. Findings by Standard Industrial Classification (cont.) ## B. Special trades contractor (SIC Major Group 17) findings (cont.) - workers to be protected by a “personal fall arrest system” or “guardrail system."19 The most frequently violated subsection of the scaffolding standard requires that when scaffold platforms are more than two feet above or below a point of access, "portable ladders, hook-on ladders, attachable ladders, stair towers (scaffold stairways/towers), stairway-type towers (such as ladder stands), ramps, walkways, integral prefabricated scaffold access, or direct access from another scaffold, structure, personnel hoist, or other similar surface" must be used. 20 The second most frequently violated subsection requires that platforms on all working levels of a scaffold "be fully planked or decked between the front uprights and the guardrail supports.' " 21 - Roofing-siding-sheet metal contractors (SIC 1761). Since workers who install roofs and siding are highly vulnerable to injuries from falls, 22 it is crucial for their safety that OSHA standards, especially standards for work at elevated heights, be strictly observed. Yet 76% of the 173 inspections of roofing-siding-sheet metal contractors found violations of OSHA safety standards. Three or more safety standards violations were found in 38% of inspections and five or more violations were found in 20% of inspections. Some 41% of inspections found violations of the fall protection standard and 13% found violations of the scaffolding standard. - In roofing-siding-sheet metal work, the most frequently violated sub-section of the fall protection standard, CFR 1926.501(b)(13) requires that in residential construction there must be a guardrail, safety net or “personal fall protection system." The second-most frequently violated fall protection sub-section, CFR 1926.501b (1), requires similar protections for workers on low-slope roofs. - The most frequently violated scaffolding standard subsection,…

[5] 2019 Deadly Skyline Report

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# INCREASED PROSECUTIONS OF CRIMINAL CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS IN NEW YORK CITY HAVE RAISED AWARENESS ABOUT WORKPLACE CRIMES AS WELL AS DEMONSTRATING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN FATALITIES, WAGE THEFT, AND OTHER CRIMES. (cont.) ## IN BOTH NEW YORK STATE AND CITY, FATAL FALLS MAKE UP NEARLY 49% OF ALL CONSTRUCTION DEATHS. (cont.) was cited for two violations-one serious and willful-totaling $131,819. The serious violation cited was 1926.503a1, which states that "the employer shall provide a training program for each employee who might be exposed to fall hazards."28 The willful violation was 1926.501b1, which states that employees "shall be protected from falling by the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems."29 Combined, these violations created an unsafe worksite that ultimately resulted in Cruz's preventable death. As stated by the New York City Department of Buildings Commissioner Rick Chandler, Cruz's death was "completely preventable" and "there should have been tie offs with his personal protection equipment, which he was wearing."3 "30 While larger than usual, these fines are still small amounts for multi-million dollar companies. The larger consequences may come if Cruz's family decides to sue. In this case, Cruz would be eligible to sue the employer or the property owner under the Scaffold Safety Law because his employer's negligence caused him to die in a fatal fall. The data on fall fatalities and cases like Cruz's showcases an overwhelming need for protections against fall hazards, including the Scaffold Safety Law. The Scaffold Safety Law simply requires that construction sites be built and maintained in a way that protects workers. Contractors and businesses are only liable for injuries or fatalities on the job if they put workers at risk of injury or death by violating critical health and safety regulations. ## NATIONALLY, THE MOST COMMON VIOLATIONS ARE ON FALL PROTECTION IN CONSTRUCTION. OSHA reported in 2017 th…

[6] Job Hazard Analysis

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NEW YORK COMMITTEE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH NYCOSH # Job Hazard Analysis Job hazard analysis is a procedure used to review a job, identify potential hazards, and design actions and procedures to eliminate or control the hazards. Job hazard analysis is also called job hazard assessment. ## OSHA 1910.132(d)(1) requires job hazard analysis: "The employer shall assess the workplace to determine if hazards are present, or are likely to be present, which necessitate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).” A job hazard analysis has several steps: ● Select the job to be analyzed. • Break the job down into a sequence of steps. • Identify potential hazards. • Determine preventive measures ("fixes") to overcome these hazards. Issues to be considered in selecting jobs to be analyzed include: • How often injuries or illnesses occur or how severe they are. • The potential for severe injuries or illnesses. • New job tasks where due to hazards may not be evident or anticipated. • Modified jobs where new hazards may be associated with changes in job procedures. • Infrequently performed jobs where workers may be at greater risk when undertaking non-routine jobs. Methods for eliminating or controlling the hazards must follow the guidelines of the hierarchy of controls of hazards. These methods, in order of preference, are: 1. Eliminate the hazard. This is the most effective measure. These techniques should be used to eliminate the hazards: - Choose a different process. • Modify an existing process. • Substitute a less hazardous substance. • Improve the work environment (example: ventilation). • Modify or change equipment or tools. 2. Contain the hazard. If the hazard cannot be eliminated, risk might be reduced by using enclosures, machine guards, worker booths or similar devices. 3. Revise work procedures. Consideration might be given to modifying steps which are hazardous, changing the sequence of steps, or adding additional…

[7] The Price of Life: 2015 Report on Construction Fatalities in NYC

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# APPENDIX A ## New York City Department of Buildings Accident Details Following are illustrative examples of accidents with at least one injury in which a "worker fell" or "material fell" in 2012 and 2013. The descriptions of the accidents are quotes from the "final descriptions" in [redacted identifier] Accident Details reports and the descriptions of the cited violations are from the [redacted identifier] Information Systems website, "Specific Violation Condition(s) and Remedy." Bold text was added. ## ACCIDENTS REPORTED IN 2013 January 9. "Seven workers were injured when a crane collapsed. It was "attempting to lift a load that was double the weight of its lifting capacity." January 30. A construction worker "was working on two sections of pipe scaffold when he lost his balance and fell approximately ten feet to the ground level. No fall protection was in place. The worker was taken to the hospital." February 21. "A worker sustained two broken legs when he was pinned under a Temporary Switch Board that fell. The unit fell onto the worker when one of the slings used to hoist it shifted causing the unit to drop onto the worker." March 18. "Three workers fell approximately twenty-five feet from the edge of the building within the core of the building when the section of Q-decking on which they were standing gave way." March 22. "Two workers were injured and transported to the hospital when the third floor partially collapsed. The flooring system was not properly installed and was overloaded with CMU block and other construction material." April 15. "A worker fell approximately thirty feet from a walkable platform being supported by unsecured aluminum extension ladders with cantilever mechanisms." April 26. "A worker was struck in the back of the head by formwork. Workers were removing concrete formwork from the thirteenth floor and passing it through an opening to the twelfth floor striking and injuring the worker." A violation was cited for "holes/openin…

[8] Health Hazards to Construction Workers During the Demolition of Two Tenement Buildings

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# Contents (cont.) ## Personal-air monitoring for asbestos (cont.) a very low flow rate (approximately 0.6 liters per minute) and was found to have less than the limit of detection given the volume collected (0.027 f/cc). ## Asbestos bulk sampling - Site 1. At this site, all bulk samples were found to be asbestos-free by analyses using polarized light microscopy. - Site 2. The roofing material contained approximately 5 percent chrysotile asbestos, mixed with cellulose and asphalt. Chrysotile asbestos was the most commonly used asbestos type in building materials in the United States. The plaster was found to contain trace levels (less than 1 percent) of chrysotile asbestos. The boiler and piping systems were all uninsulated. The floor tiles were found to be asbestos-free. ## Respiratory protection The workers were not provided with respiratory protection at either location. There was no evidence of a respiratory program (which would include training). Five workers brought their own respirators. These consisted of single-use dust masks (three workers) and half-face dual-cartridge respirators (two workers) with high-efficiency particulate air filters (HEPA). These two workers were the only ones who participated in the blood-lead screening program. The remainder of the work force wore no respiratory protection. ## Hygiene facilities No hygiene facilities were available at either site. There was no change room, no provision for wash-up, and no soap or towels. There were no toilet facilities. Workers usually used the first floor of the building as a toilet. ## Safety Assessment The following safety problems were found to be common to both sites. Applicable sections of the OSHA Construction Standard (CFR 1926) are cited. - Workers were not provided with personal protective equipment such as hard hats, safety shoes, or gloves. Workers were expected to bring their own equipment. In general, workers were permitted to work on site without personal protective equip…

[9] Lives in the Balance: Immigrants and Workers at Elevated Heights at Greatest Risk in Construction

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# Summary A comprehensive review by the New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA) of United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) construction site inspections in New York State has found that OSHA safety standards are routinely violated. Among the most frequently violated standards are those that protect construction workers who work at elevated heights. The findings of this review underscore the urgency for New York to retain Sec. 240 of the Labor Law, the "scaffold law," which specifically protects such workers. The review shows: • Most OSHA inspections found safety violations. Sixty-two percent of the 2,547 OSHA construction-site inspections conducted during 2003¹ in New York State resulted in one or more citations for violation of OSHA safety standards. The most frequent violators were special trades contractors such as masonry and roofing contractors, where more than 80% of inspections resulted in citations for safety violations, and residential building general contractors, where nearly three- quarters of inspections found violations. In addition, more than one-half of masonry contractor inspections and nearly 40% of roofing contractor inspections found at least three violations. More than one-third of roofing contractor inspections found at least five violations. - OSHA categorized virtually all these violations as “serious." • Violations of the two main safety standards that protect workers at elevated heights - the fall protection standard and the scaffolding standard - were very widespread. Construction work is dangerous, especially for workers perched on a scaffold, ladder or roof. Nationally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that one-third of construction fatalities are from falls from an elevation and one-fifth are from being struck by a falling object -- hazards which can be ameliorated with proper scaffolds, guardrails, toe boards, harnesses and other safety equipment. - Over 30% of OSHA violations i…

[10] Lives in the Balance: Immigrants and Workers at Elevated Heights at Greatest Risk in Construction

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# Appendix A Eight OSHA standards that protect workers at elevated heights. • General requirements for all types of scaffolding. 29 CFR 1926.451. This standard has eight subsections governing: (a) scaffold capacity; (b) scaffold platform construction; (c) criteria for supported scaffolds (e.g. guys, braces, and poles and frames); (d) criteria for suspension scaffolds (e.g. outrigger beams, cornice hooks, parapet clamps, counterweights and tiebacks), (e) access requirements (e.g. "hook-on ladders shall be position so as not to tip the scaffold,"); (f) scaffold use (e.g. specifications for clearance between scaffolds and power lines, scaffolds must be inspected before each work shift); (g) fall protection requirements (e.g. requirements for personal fall arrest systems and guardrails; and (h) falling object protection (e.g. toe board requirements and criteria). • Fall protection scope/applications/definitions. 29 CFR 1926.501. Prohibits unprotected sides and edges with guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest system. Protects workers in hoist areas, workers near wall openings and holes including skylights, workers near excavation edges, workers toiling near dangerous equipment, workers on the face of formwork or reinforcing steel, workers on roofs, engaged in pre-cast concrete erection. Requires the use of guardrails, fences, barricades and/or personal fall arrest systems in these areas and sets criteria for such equipment. - Fall protection systems criteria and practices. CFR 1926.502. Contains provisions governing guardrail systems, such as required height of guardrails above the working surface; requirements for mid-rails and mesh and screens; requirements for safety nets; requirements for lifelines and lanyards; requirements for personal fall arrest systems; provisions governing warning line systems; control line requirements; requirements for covers for holes in floors, roofs, and other walking/working surfaces; requirements for protection against fa…

[11] Deadly Skyline: An Annual Report on Construction Fatalities in New York State | January 2017

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# 1. New York's construction industry is highly dangerous for workers, and workplace fatality rates are trending upward. (cont.) ## Five of 31 New York State construction deaths OSHA investigated in 2015 were elevator-related. According to OSHA inspection data, five out of the 31 construction fatalities it investigated in 2015 were elevator-related; four occurred in Manhattan. Three of the deaths involved falls down elevator shafts, and two deaths were the result of workers being crushed by elevators.19 Elevator construction workers regularly describe dangerous working conditions and a fear for their life on the construction site. 25-year-old Christian Ginesi was an Air Force veteran who told a friend, "It's not like the Air Force. It's not safe out here," referring to his job as an elevator construction worker. 20 In 2015, Mr. Ginesi was installing an elevator door frame at a Manhattan construction site when the elevator he was in lost power and stalled five feet above the landing. When Mr. Ginesi attempted to jump from the elevator to the landing, he fell 25 stories to his death. An investigation by the Department of Buildings discovered that the company, G-Tech, was unlicensed to work in New York City and was powering the elevator with a jerry-rigged electrical system that failed and resulted in Mr. Ginesi's death. 21 G-Tech was hit with a series of fines. Mr. Ginesi's death was preventable. ## The "Fatal Four"-falls, electrocutions, struck by object, and caught-in/ between equipment or machinery-cause almost all construction deaths in New York. Nationally, the most common causes of fatal occupational injuries in the construction industry-dubbed the "Fatal Four" by OSHA-are falls, electrocutions, struck by object, and caught-in/between equipment or machinery. According to BLS data for the five years comprising 2011 to 2015, the Fatal Four were responsible for 76.8 percent of construction-related fatalities in New York State and 87.1 percent in New York City…

[12] Risks Facing Women in Construction

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# NEW YORK COMMITTEE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH P: (212) 227-6440 | F: (212) 227-9854 | 61 Broadway, Suite 1710, New York, New York [redacted postal code] NYCOSH women and 1.1 for men. The rate of injuries for women was 32 per 10,000 workers, and for men, 154 per 10,000 workers. Women have a lower rate because they are less likely to work in the actual construction trades than men and often are not assigned the most hazardous jobs. The major causes of death for women in construction are transportation incidents (e.g., struck by vehicle, collisions, overturns), violence and falls. For men, the major causes are falls, transportation incidents and contact with objects or equipment (e.g., struck by, caught in/between, cuts). A relatively high percentage of women in construction work are flaggers (crossing guards), an occupation with a high death rate. One study found that one third of women killed by motor vehicles on road construction sites worked as flaggers, compared to only 3 percent of men. Violence to women in the construction industry occurred mostly to women working in construction offices. Homicide is the single largest causes of on-the-job deaths for all women workers in the U.S. The major causes of injury in construction are bodily reaction/overexertion (bending, lifting, repetitive motion, etc.), contact with objects and falls. There is little data about injuries to women in construction. One study of union carpenters found that women had higher rates of sprains/strains and nerve conditions of the wrist and forearm than men. This is likely due to the fact that women tend to be assigned more repetitive tasks that can cause these injuries. Some specific health and safety issues for women in the construction trades are: - Ergonomics: Women have some specific musculoskeletal problems in construction. They have slightly shorter hands and lower grip strength than most men. Standard hand tools like wrenches tend to be too large for women's hands …

[13] The Price of Life: 2015 Report on Construction Fatalities in NYC

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# NYC DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT AND UNSAFE CONTRACTORS (cont.) ## "THIS NEEDLESS FALL AND RESULTING DEATH WERE ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE." (cont.) Violations of the New York City construction safety code were cited in most reported accidents. Construction accidents resulting in a fatality or injury in which an ambulance is summoned must be reported to the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB). Between 2008 and 2013, height-related accidents accounted for 71 percent of reported accidents: 71 PERCENT OF CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENTS with 71% injuries reported to the New York City Buildings Department between 2008 and 2013 were HEIGHT-RELATED. NYCOSH "I A DAMNING PORTRAIT OF CONSTRUCTION IN NEW YORK CITY, WITH CONTRACTORS WHO FAIL TO INSPECT DAMAGED EQUIPMENT, PAY NO ATTENTION TO UNSAFE WORKSITES, NEGLECT TO TRAIN OR SUPERVISE WORKERS AND DELIBERATELY HIDE ACCIDENTS FROM INVESTIGATORS," - NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, 2013. . 441 "worker fell" accidents - 234 "material fell" accidents . 47 scaffold/shed/fence/shoring/installation" accidents.18 The New York City's Building Code requires contractors to observe construction and demolition safety regulations.19 Review of the accidents [redacted identifier] between 2011 and 2013 found that inspectors cited at least one violation of safety regulations in 56 percent of "worker fell" and 67 percent of "material fell" accidents in which a worker was injured. Many of the injuries in these accidents could have been prevented had the employer complied with the City's safety rules. The causes of accidents in 2012 and 2013, as described by [redacted identifier], illustrate:20 - a crane that attempted to lift twice its load and collapsed and injured seven workers; - numerous instances of failure to provide workers with fall prevention or arrest systems; - numerous instances of failure to install required guardrails and/or toe boards; - failure of personal arrest systems; - open elevator shafts workers fell…

[14] Deadly Skyline: An Annual Report on Construction Fatalities in New York State (2018)

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# Public prosecutions of criminal contractors in New York City have added to a decrease in construction fatalities. (cont.) ## 4. OSHA construction fines for fatality cases have remained low, despite the agency's ability to issue higher fine amounts. (cont.) Average OSHA Fines for Construction Fatality Cases OSHA $$$$ FINES $20,217 done and to stop routinely discounting and settling for low fines in specific cases. In addition, the report calls on the issuance of "national guidelines" that would discourage the informal settling of cases that have had "egregious safety failures".25 Such recommendations must be implemented if OSHA's fines are to be an effective deterrent to workplace safety and health violations. The top fine issued against employers in 2016 included a fatality on October 11, 2016, which involved a fine of $139,424 in Amsterdam, New York, after a 63-year-old man fell 25 feet to the ground when a porch roof collapsed.26 Another relatively high fine was issued in a crane collapse, where two workers were killed while working for a company with a history of violations, Cranes Express.27 The fine of $64,517 was levied against the company for six serious violations, including three violations for improperly rigging equipment for material handling, two fall protection violations, and one for improper ladder use. As stated in AMNews: Crane operator George Smith, 47 of Brooklyn, was lifting a 6,500-pound beam four stories up about 12:20 p.m. when it became disengaged from the crane and fatally struck 43-year-old Alessandro Ramos, of Queens, police said. This company did not follow applicable safety protections, and two workers died as a result. Other cases showed that employers whose negligence caused a worker to die on the job were met only with one serious violation instead of more serious fines. For example, when Luis Mata was working on luxury Manhattan high rise called Printing House West Village, a plank from a scaffold fell through safety netti…

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