Accidents at Work in Construction Industry - Case Study Example

ACCIDENTS AT WORK IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY By Course Professor’s name University name City, State Date of submission Accidents at work in Construction Industry Accidents occur in the construction sites. Some accidents may actually lead to death or extreme health condition that would incapacitate the affected person. The accidents furthermore affect the construction process and hinder the efficient flow of work. Thereby, there is need to curb and prevent the occurrence of accidents in the construction industry. The construction industry employs about 9% to 12% of a nation’s working population. In some nations, it is about 20%. Therefore, the construction industry is a key industry in the world and it contributes about 5% to 15% of a country’s national economy (Castro-Lacouture, et al. 2014). About 2.4 million people succumb yearly to occupation-related ailments and accidents. It corresponds to about 6000 deaths daily. Furthermore, approximately 340 million work-related accidents occurs and about 160 million people are victims to the occupation-related accidents yearly[Sep14].Likewise, construction industry is ranked with the utmost work-related accidents amid three other industries[Dav08]. Causes of accidents The accidents in the construction site are attributed to certain causes. They include: Falling: it is one of the leading causes of accidents in the site. It is further caused by scaffolds neither erected nor used properly by the workers. Approximately 2.3 million operators use scaffolds. However, an estimated 50 fatalities and about 4500 injuries are recorded yearly [Uni10]. Lack of appropriate protective gears in the construction industry to undertake a certain activity. About 30% of construction workers neglect the wearing of protective gears. During the construction of Nest Tunnel in US, about 2000 workers lost their lives(Smith 2014). It was due to silicosis which caused respiratory problems. Further, the disease was caused by massive exposure to silica dust. The workers did not wear protective gears to prevent them from inhaling the silica dust (Smith 2014). Inadequate training of workers Shortage of skilled labour Exhaustion and stress of workers due to work intensification Inadequate lighting in construction sites Furthermore, continuous changing of working sites, unsafe site conditions, vast number of operators working in closely in the site also aggravate the occurrence of accidents in the construction industry[Hea06]. Various accidents are recorded in the construction industries. The accidents that occur in the construction sector may include: Public health and safety Key general wellbeing and danger recognized includes waterborne sickness flare-ups and airborne and transmittable maladies (European Commission 2009). The key waterborne illness may include legionella. The measures to be undertaken to curb it may include upkeep of cooling towers, utilization of innovation, for example, geographical information frameworks by nearby boards to accumulate intelligence. Moreover, observation programs with a specific accentuation on assessments and microbiological testing is required [Gre13]. Airborne and communicable diseases It is a threat during meetings and grouping within the industry. It results due to mass movements of people[Gre01]. Furthermore, since it is communicable, it will result in a large number of the population within being infected. Thereby, control measures are to be undertaken to prevent and control the communicable and airborne diseases. However,Vayrynen (2014) stated that the two main reason leading to the increase in communicable and airborne diseases include the increases in movements and population density within the construction industry Non-Infectious risks It includes the exposure to cold and heat. Furthermore, the illness related to heat including the local temperatures and sun exposure. The ailment related to a lengthy exposure to the sun and heat comprises of sunburns, dehydration and exhaustion (Sullivan 2000). In addition, working under direct exposure to the sun without sufficient protection escalates the risks of heat related ailments. Also, the exposure to cold within the site might result to chest complications and pneumonia. Negligence of putting on the protect gears is one of the causes of ailments and complications(Sullivan 2000). Though, the illness are exacerbated with the consumption of alcohol resulting in the negative outcomes (Tulchinsky 2014). Consumption of alcohol causes exhaustion and dehydration thereby being a risk in workplace. Respiratory diseases They result from air pollutions in the construction site resulting from pollutants for example sulphur dioxide. Operators working on sites without proper caution through wearing protective gears are likely to acquire respiratory conditions. Exposure to smoke and dust in the site also causes the respiratory infections [Phi07]. In concurrence, the forms of pneumoconiosis that results in death include asbestos, silicosis and coal workers pneumoconiosis (Great Britain Health and Safety Executive, 2001). Such a case occurred during the construction of Nest Tunnel, USA with about 2000 workers succumbing due to silicosis disease which was caused by inhaling silica dust[San14]. Injuries The injuries may be accrued with the movements of machines in the site. The can also occur due to non-compliances to the procedures in handling and usage of equipment (Pennsylvania Bar Institute 2013). Nonetheless, according to Barber (2002) the injuries are aggravated by negligence of the workers in handling the equipment in the site. Also, the workers neglect wearing protective gears during handling of the equipment and machinery. Manuscript on the use and handling of machinery and equipment is provided. Workers choose to neglect reading the manuscript. Fire Fire may erupt in the site. They result from handling high flammable equipment and apparatus use in the site. It causes a lot of damages to both the workers and the machineries being used in the site [Pen13]. Likewise, extra care is to be taken when handling flammable apparatus and they should not be exposed to and fire causing agent (Adamson & Pollington 2008). A fire erupted in the Soma Mine, Turkey killing about 301 workers. The workers were burnt alive while others suffocated in the mine due to inadequate circulation of air (Ulatas 2014). Recommendations Various procedures can be employed by the construction management and works in order to curb the occurrence of accidents in the industry. The control measures ought to be put in place in order to ensure the workers’ safety and boost their morale to work efficiently. They include: Provision of personal protective equipment to the workers in order to ensure they are protected from accident occurrence that would incapacitate them. The construction company should provide the gears (Li & Poon 2013). Nonetheless, it is not the obligation of the construction company to ensure the protective gears are worn (Barber 2002). Instead, the workers ought to request the company to provide them with the required equipment before resuming any work. They include masks, helmets, face shields, safety glasses, safety boots, and gloves. The company should install sound, rigid and sufficient scaffoldings to carry about four times the intended weight [Con09]. Besides, it is concurrence with Pattullo (2003) who states that the scaffoldings ought to strong enough to support the intended wieight firmly. As well, the scaffoldings be installed in solid grounds to support the entire weight competently. Training of the workers on the safety procedures and regulations ought to be followed (Li & Poon 2013). Also, they should be trained on the effective use of machinery to curb the accidents associated with the machinery [Bar14]. Proper lighting of tunnels should be installed to avoid collisions in the tunnel. Lighting enables workers to work appropriately, as they can see accurately what they are dealing with (Hughes & Ferrett 2007). Companies are supposed to ensure that the working hours are reviewed to avoid exhaustion as it can lead to accidents (Charles, et al. 2007). Workers be insured by the companies to gather for loses that may occur due to unavoidable circumstances [Con09]. The studies fail to provide the adverse measures that the government should put in place to protect its citizen. Also, it does not provide the adequate rules that each company should follow in enhancing their workers safety. Furthermore, the studies does not provide the workers with avenues of seeking attention of the employing firm and fight for their rights of protection and insurance. Conclusion The construction industry is important in developing a nation’s economy. But, the industry is linked with accidents which could either lead to death or incapacitate its victims. The accidents occurring in the construction industry are caused by various factors including negligence, unskilled labour, exhaustion and inappropriate attires. However, most of the accidents can be controlled and prevented. It can be achieved through various strategies including wearing protective garments, training of operators, and installation of sound scaffoldings to prevent workers from falling. References Sep14: , (Väyrynen, 2014), Dav08: , (Adamson & Pollington, 2008), Uni10: , (United States. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2010), Hea06: , (Health and Safety Executive, 2006), Gre13: , (Great Britain. Health and Safety Commission, 2013), Gre01: , (Great Britain. Health and Safety Executive, 2001), Phi07: , (Hughes & Ferrett, 2007), San14: , (Smith, 2014), Pen13: , (Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 2013), Con09: , (Controlling accidents and insurers' risks in Construction, 2009), Bar14: , (Repa, 2014), Read More