Fatalities in the Construction Industry – Louisiana, 2007–2011

Details

• Personal Author:
  Lackovic M ; Lewis J ; Soileau S
• Description:
  The Louisiana Department of Health & Hospital's (DHH) Occupational Health & Injury Surveillance Program focuses on identifying workers at high risk for occupational injuries and illnesses, and providing data to reduce occupational injuries and diseases through targeted preventive measures. An important data source in this effort is the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), a comprehensive national surveillance system for work-related fatalities in the United States CFOI data show that Louisiana's fatal occupational injury rate remains consistently greater than the U.S. rate, as well as more than many other states. The death rates per 100,000 workers comparison between Louisiana and the U.S. may be due to several reasons, one being the lack of adjustment by industry. Fatal injuries vary by industry; high-risk industries include agriculture, mining (including oil and gas), transportation, and construction. Between 2007 and 2011, there was an average of 125 work-related deaths per year in Louisiana. About one-fifth of these deaths occurred in the construction industry. CFOI classifies each fatal event or exposure into one of six causes of death categories: transportation accidents; contact with objects or equipment; exposure to harmful substances or environments; falls; assaults/violent acts; fires/explosions. Approximately one-quarter of the fatalities in the construction industry were due to falls (Figure 2). Most fatal falls are a fall to a lower level such as a fall from a roof, scaffold or ladder. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) investigates all work-related fatalities and disasters. Federal law requires that within eight hours after the work-related death of any employee, or the in-patient hospitalization of three or more employees, employers must orally report the fatality/multiple hospitalization by telephone, or in person to the nearest OSHA Office or State. Descriptions of eight fall fatalities occurring in Louisiana were selected from OSHA's fatality database. A worker picking up trash on a building roof died after falling more than 20 feet and hitting a trash dumpster. A worker was on a platform that collapsed, falling 25 feet. A worker, during the repair/construction of building gutters, fell through a mechanical lift. A construction worker died after falling 12 feet from a ladder. A worker installing shingles on a roof, died when he fell nearly 20 feet to the ground. A sheet metal worker died from head injuries after falling from a ladder. A worker was climbing a ladder on a scaffold to start dismantling it when he fell from the ladder approximately 42 feet to the ground. A worker was repairing a roof installation and fell 14 feet to the ground. Falls can be prevented and lives can be saved through three simple steps: plan, provide and train. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) & OSHA are part of a nationwide outreach campaign to raise awareness among workers and employers about the hazards of falls. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Accidental Falls Accidents Construction Industry Epidemiology Mortality Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Construction Industry Construction Workers Falls Fatalities Injury Prevention Ladders Mortality Rates Roofing And Sheet Metal Work Surveillance
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Newsletter
• Place as Subject:
  Louisiana ; OSHA Region 6
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  2-3
• Volume:
  24
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20061551
• Citation:
  LA Morb Rep 2013 Jul-Aug; 24(4):2-3
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2013
• Performing Organization:
  Louisiana State Office of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Louisiana Morbidity Report
• End Date:
  20150630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8060b31b8191199112c494bac1198fdf8fbe25219a4c0e3a13361a6ef00e42448a80e8331993d354e909153b370103129f7f9f3640fc30c957dcad9f7d6eec4c
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/225055/cdc_225055_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 59.94 KB ]