Struck-By Hazards OSHA 10-Hour Construction Fact Sheet

There are many different ways struck-by accidents can occur, but the most common The with protecting yourself from objects is that you may not be
involve: participating in the work that causes the object to For that reason, you need to make
• Vehicles and cranes sure your coworkers follow the safety rules outlined by OSHA and your employer, and
• Falling or objects you need to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for your worksite.
• Constructing concrete and masonry walls. Be particularly careful when working with or near power tools.

Vehicles and Cranes Constructing Concrete and Masonry Walls

Follow these safety precautions to avoid being struck by vehicles or cranes at your
worksite.
• When working near vehicles, make sure you are visible to vehicle operators at all
times. Eye contact is good.
• Never exceed the load capacity for a vehicle.
• Do not ride on a vehicle unless it is equipped with a safe place to sit.
• If you are operating a vehicle, wear a safety belt if the vehicle is equipped with
one.
• Workers - meaning all people at the worksite - need to be trained on safety.
• Cranes need to be set up on solid, level ground so they do not tip or fall.
• Loads need to be secured properly so they do not drop.
• Determine how much a crane can safely lift before using it. Never exceed the
crane’s load capacity.
• The crane operator needs to stay in communication with other workers.
• The appropriate crane maintenance and inspections need to be performed.
To prevent struck-by injuries involving concrete and masonry walls, follow these safety
precautions.
• Do not place construction loads on a concrete structure until a person
indicates that it can support the load.
• Adequately shore or brace structures until permanent supporting elements are in
place, or concrete has been tested to assure strength.
• Take measures to prevent unrolled wire mesh from recoiling, such as securing
each end or turning the roll over.
• Do not load lifting devices beyond their capacity.
• Use automatic holding devices to support forms in case a lifting mechanism fails.
• When building masonry walls, use limited access zones (LAZs) to restrict access
to areas surrounding the wall construction area.
• Always wear protective head and face equipment.

Falling and Flying Objects

• Falling objects often present a hazard when working near cranes, scaffolds, mate-
rials handling operations, and stacked materials. Follow these safety precautions
to avoid injury.
• Avoid working underneath loads being moved.
• Barricade hazard areas and post warning signs.
• Inspect cranes and hoists to see that all components, such as wire rope, lifting
hooks, chains, etc., are in good condition.
• Do not exceed lifting capacity of cranes and hoists.
• Wear a hardhat.
• Secure tools and materials to prevent them from falling on people below.
• Use toeboards, screens, or guardrails on scaffolds to prevent falling objects, or,
• Use debris nets, catch platforms, or canopies to catch or falling objects.
• Stack materials to prevent sliding, falling, or collapse. Bags of materials should
be stacked neatly by stepping back the layers and cross-keying the bags at least
every ten bags high.
• Do not store materials on scaffolds or runways.
• Use debris chutes and barricades as appropriate to keep personnel from being
struck by discarded rubbish and waste materials.
Caught-In and Caught-Between Hazards OSHA 10-Hour Construction Fact Sheet
There are many different ways caught-in and caught-between accidents can occur, but When working around unguarded machinery, keep these things in mind.
the most common involve: • Loose clothing and jewelry can get caught in moving parts, pulling you into the
• Trenching machine.
• Unguarded machinery • Long hair that is worn loose can get caught in unguarded moving parts.
• Equipment.
Equipment
Trenching Powered industrial trucks (forklifts), cranes, and other heavy equipment can pose
According to OSHA, “the fatality rate for excavation work is 112% higher than the caught-between hazards at the workplace. Here are some examples.
rate for general construction.” One of the biggest hazards is being caught in a trench • Heavy equipment can overturn, and if the operator isn’t wearing a seatbelt or the
cave-in, which could crush or asphyxiate you. vehicle isn’t equipped with ROPS, he or she can be caught between the truck and
the ground.
To avoid cave-ins, follow these safety precautions. • Operators can run the equipment into pedestrians, pinning them between the
• Use a protective system, such as sloping or shoring, to prevent the walls of the vehicle and the wall or stacked materials.
trench from caving in. • If loads are not properly loaded or secured to equipment, the loads can fall off the
• Make sure the trench is inspected at the appropriate times and by the competent truck onto workers, pinning them between the fallen load and the ground or other
person. materials.
• Keep spoils at least two feet from the edge of the trench or haul them to another • Workers unsafely riding on equipment can fall off and get run over.
location.
• Use a retaining device like a trench box that extends higher than the wall of the To prevent these types of accidents:
trench. • Wear a seatbelt when operating equipment if it is equipped with one.
• For trenches that are more than four feet deep, make sure there is a safe exit • Operate equipment that has ROPS, as appropriate.
within 25 feet of workers in the trench. • Do not ride equipment that is not safely equipped for passengers.
• Make sure all loads are properly secured and within the rated capacity of the
Unguarded Machinery heavy equipment.
Unguarded machinery presents a big caught-in hazard. Particularly make sure the ap- • When operating equipment, be aware of pedestrians in the area.
propriate guarding is in place for power tools, conveyors, and other machinery with
moving parts.

The guards for power tools must protect the operator and other workers from:
• The point of operation
• In-running nip points
• Rotating parts
• Flying chips and sparks.

When working with conveyors, never:

• Clean or maintain a conveyor while it is operating
• Reach into a nip point to remove debris or to free jammed material
• Wear loose clothing that gets caught in the conveyor.