PCCA Journal|4
th
Quarter 2012
33
SafetyWatch
I
t is a fact that a large portion
of communications and power
construction work is performed
in the air. In 2010, there were
264 fall fatalities (255 falls to
lower level) out of the 774 total fatali-
ties in construction. These deaths are
preventable.
Fall protection violations rank number
two on the OSHA list of top citations.
Let’s take a look at three steps OSHA has
developed to help us plan fall protection
safety into our job.
PLAN ahead to get the job done safely.
When we have a job to perform that we
know involves working at heights, we
must plan into the job everything our
employees will need. Are your bucket
trucks in safe working order? Do you
have fall harnesses for each employee
working at heights? Are the harnesses in
safe working order?
We also may need to consider some of
these costs when we are bidding a proj-
ect. If we plan the cost in the bidding
process, it will help avoid any surprises.
PROVIDE the right equipment.
Do we have the right fall protection
equipment for the job? Employees and
fall protection harnesses come in dif-
ferent shapes and sizes and should be
matched accordingly! Is our bucket truck
the appropriate height to perform the
work safely?
Are You Protecting Your
Employees from Falls?
By Phillip Metcalf
• One out of every five drivers will be involved in a traffic crash this year.
• Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among people age 44 and
younger and the number one cause of head and spinal cord injury.
• Approximately 35,000 people die in motor vehicle crashes each year. About 50
percent (17,000) of these people could be saved if they wore their safety belts.
• For every one percent increase in safety belt use, 172 lives and close to $100 mil-
lion in annual injury and death costs could be saved.
• Safety belts when used properly reduce the number of serious traffic injuries by
50 percent and fatalities by 60-70 percent.
• For maximum protection, safety belts should be fastened before traveling any
distance or speed. Seventy-five percent of crash deaths and injuries occur within
25 miles of home. More than half of all injury-producing motor vehicle crashes
involve low speeds under 40 mph.
• Motorists are 25 times are more likely to be killed or seriously injured when they
are“thrown clear”than when they remain inside their vehicle.
• In a 30-mph collision, an unbelted 160-pound person can strike another pas-
senger, crash through a windshield, and/or slam into the vehicle’s interior with a
4,800-pound force.
• Motorists can increase safety belt usage by example and verbal reminders; 9 out
of 10 people will buckle up when asked.
• Safety belt use is one of the best defenses against the unpredictable actions of a
drunk driver.
• More than 25 countries around the world have some type of mandatory safety
belt law. Results of these laws were measured; usage rate went from 20-25
percent before passage to 60-90 percent after passage.
• A common cause of death and injury to children in motor vehicles is being
crushed by adults who are not wearing safety belts. One out of four serious
injuries to passengers is caused by occupants being thrown into each other.
• About 80 percent of all injuries to children in car crashes are injuries to the head,
causing brain damage, permanent disfigurement, epilepsy, or death.
• Of every 100 children who die in motor vehicle crashes, at least 80 would survive
if they were properly secured in an approved child safety seat or safety belts.
• Three out of four families with child safety seats fail to use them correctly. Adults
need to follow manufacturer’s instructions and secure seats properly before every
trip.
• An estimated 80 percent of American children area immunized against contagious
diseases, but less than 10 percent are properly restrained when riding in a motor
vehicle.
Safety Belt Statistics
(Source: James Madison University)
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