Vehicles Pose Potentially Fatal Danger at Construction Sites

Establishing specific construction traffic areas
helps minimize the chance of someone being hit.

Hazards to construction workers, and the liability of employers, often lurk just outside the areas where primary work activity is underway. “One in four struck-by-vehicle deaths involve construction workers, more than any other occupation.”* This startling fact calls for extra attention as we enter the summer months when construction activity is at its utmost.

A simple truck found in many people’s driveways and garages can present a deadly threat even when backing up at low speeds. That’s saying nothing of much larger vehicles like cement mixers, cranes, dump trucks and others commonly in transit around construction sites. Merely being struck isn’t the limit of the danger either. Workers could also be crushed due to an overturn, pinned between objects or hit by an apparatus attached to a vehicle.*

Preventive measure that can be taken at a site include:  

• Having drivers work in tandem with a spotter**
• Proper vehicle maintenance**
• Installing back-up cameras or other safety equipment on vehicles**
• Designating specific lanes for traffic to use**

Given the key role this issue plays in construction site safety, those who oversee such matters would be best off with a formal set of procedures in place. You can start your research with the resources below:

• OSHA Construction Struck-By Page *
• OSHA Vehicle Inspection Page
• Worksite Truck Safety Article by Safety Management Group **
• Browse Transportation Signs at ComplianceSigns.com.