Statistics
The latest available statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) highlight a significant concern regarding caught-in or caught-between incidents in the construction industry.
In 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that there were 142 fatal occupational injuries classified under "caught in or compressed by equipment or objects" in the United States across various industries. Specifically, this category includes fatalities resulting from being caught in running equipment or machinery, which accounted for 102 of those deaths and 21 fatalities were due to being compressed or pinched by shifting objects or equipment.
Ironworkers faced the highest rate of caught-in or between fatalities, and older construction workers were found to be at an elevated risk of fatality from these types of incidents.
Contributing Conditions
Some of the working conditions which contribute caught-in/between accidents include:
- machinery which has unguarded moving parts or is not locked out during maintenance;
- unprotected excavations and trenches;
- heavy equipment that tips over, collapsing walls during demolition; and
- working between moving materials and immovable structures, vehicles, or equipment.
Description of Accident
An employee suffered a serious hand injury at an Omaha beef processing plant in June 2023. The worker was helping a forklift operator position materials when a fingertip caught in the forklift attachment. This injury resulted in a medically necessitated amputation three weeks later.
This one injury was very costly to the company. It resulted in an OSHA accident investigation that found many other safety deficiencies and penalties totalling over $274,000. Specifically, OSHA found the following deficiencies in its investigation:
- Failure to isolate energy during service and maintenance of dock levelers
- Unsafe working surfaces
- Fall hazards on platforms and ladders
- No readily available eye wash and drenching facility
- Electrical hazards
- Lack of kits to handle chemical spills
- Improperly trained forklift operators
- Unsafe battery maintenance
While investigating the employer-reported injury, OSHA found the company failed to develop and employ lockout/tagout procedures for hydraulic dock plates and enclosures.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-2. Working between moving materials and immovable structures, vehicles, or equipment would most likely result in _____.
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