OSHA's Focus Four program for the Construction Industry

The “Focus Four,” sometimes referred to as the “Fatal Four,” are the leading causes of fatalities in the construction industry.

The Focus Four includes the following hazards:

1.Fall

2. Struck-by

3. Caught-in/Caught-between

4. Electrocution

Despite continued improvements in safety protocols and oversight, construction remains one of the deadliest industries in the United States, and OSHA developed its Focus Four program to create awareness. 

A fall hazard is anything that could cause a worker to lose balance and result in a fall.

Falls are consistently one of the top causes of construction fatalities.

Generally, when working in construction, fall protection is required if you are working 6 feet or higher.

That requirement goes up to 10 feet if you are on scaffolding.

Other standards, such as iron working, have different requirements.

Fall protection is also required above dangerous equipment, regardless of the height you’re working at.

Even when working at low heights, serious injury or death is possible.

Common fall hazards include working:

*On a roof with no railings

*Near wall openings or unfinished walls

*Near holes in the floor

*On scaffolds that have incomplete planking

*On open-sided trenches

*On aerial platforms

*On ladders

Fall protection can include:

~Rigid fall protection, such as railings

~Fall protection systems (e.g., harnesses, lanyards and anchorages

The ABCs of Fall Arrest Systems

Anchorages act as the fall arrest system’s anchor point. Anchorages must be strong enough to support at least double the amount of expected impact load or 5,000 pounds per attached employee.

Body harnesses decrease injury risk when an employee is caught in the midst of a fall by dispersing the impact across a larger portion of the body.

Connecting devices attach the body harness to the lanyard. Snap hooks, lanyards, lifelines and deceleration devices are all connecting devices.

Ladders

Falls from ladders are common and can be particularly hazardous.

Ladders must be up to build standards, in good condition and inspected regularly.

To avoid incidents, employees need to select the right ladder for the job.

Even if a ladder is in good condition and set up properly, falls can still occur.

Follow safe operating procedures to stay safe.

Struck-by Hazards

Struck-by hazards exist when a worker can be injured by contact or impact by an object or piece of equipment.

The are variety of common struck-by incidents, including when an employee is:

*Struck by a flying object (e.g., a nail)

*Struck by a falling object, such as a power tool knocked off a scaffold

*Struck by earthmoving equipment

*Struck by a swinging object, such as a crane load

Struck-by Incident Prevention

~Wear high-visibility clothes near equipment and vehicles.

~Stay alert of heavy equipment, and remain clear of lifted or suspended loads.

~Ensure equipment has proper sightlines, mirrors and appropriate backup alarms.

~Equipment operators must be aware of where other employees are. Similarly, workers must be aware of the limitations of an equipment operator’s line of sight and ability to stop equipment

~Workers must ensure equipment is in good working order and properly guarded.

~When using tools and equipment, wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE), such face shields, safety glasses and hard hats.

Caught-in or Caught-between Hazards

A caught-in or -between hazard occurs when a person becomes caught, squeezed, crushed, pinched or compressed between two or more objects, or parts of an object.

There are a variety of common caught-in/-between incidents, including when workers:

*Get caught in a trench collapse

*Make contact with unguarded equipment, such as saw blade

*Are pinched between a crane turning and a fixed wall

*Get pinned between moving equipment and a wall or other equipment

Caught-in or Caught-between Incident Prevention

Safety considerations for preventing caught-in or caught-between incidents are similar to struck-by incident prevention practices.

Specifically, workers should:

~Wear high-visibility clothing

~Be trained on equipment operation

~Avoid creating any pinch points or putting themselves into pinch points

~Trenching safety is an important part of incident prevention. Safe trenching practices can include:

~Sloping/benching

~Shielding (e.g., using trench boxes)

~Shoring

~Managing the means of access

~Having a competent person perform inspections

Caught-in or Caught-between Incident Prevention (Equipment Considerations)

~Equipment must be properly guarded.

~Lockout/tagout practices must be in place to protect employees when they are potentially exposed to stored energy

Electrocution Hazards

Electrocution occurs when a person is exposed to a lethal amount of electrical energy.

BE SAFE by recognizing, avoiding and protecting against all of these electrical hazards:

*Burns

*Electrocution

*Shocks

*Arc flashes/blasts

*Fires

*Explosions

Causes of Electrical-related Injuries

Common causes of electrical injuries include, but are not limited to, the following:

*A worker makes contact with live, overhead power lines.

*A worker makes contact with live electrical parts (e.g., electrical panels and light ballasts).

*A worker uses damaged electrical cords or power tools

Electrocution Incident Prevention

~Locate and identity utilities before starting work.

~Maintain minimum distances from power lines.

~Look for overhead power lines when operating any type of equipment.

~Inspect all electrical equipment before use, and take damaged equipment out of service.

~Use ground-fault circuit interrupters with power tools

~Never work with live electricity unless it’s absolutely necessary. In arc flash situations like these, special tools and PPE is necessary.

~Follow lockout/tagout best practices.

~Ensure that only qualified employees conduct electrical work.

Fatalities happen far too often on job sites.

While these fatalities come from a number of different hazards, there are some commonalities.

Understanding the Focus Four and remaining vigilant can help reduce on-the-job injuries.

Please note, this resource provides an overview of the Focus Four and is not intended to act as in-depth training on the above topics.