Struck-By Hazards
Definition
There are actually two types of struck hazards: Struck-by and Struck-against.
In either type, the injury is produced by forcible contact or impact between the injured person and an object or piece of equipment.
- In a Struck-by accident, the object strikes the worker.
- In a Struck-against accident, the worker strikes the object.
In this module, we'll focus on Struck-by hazards because they occur more frequently and are one of OSHA's Focus-Four hazard types. One in four "struck by vehicle" deaths involve construction workers, more than any other occupation. It is important to point out that in construction, struck-by hazards can resemble caught-in or -between hazards.
To determine whether an event is a Caught event or a Struck event, ask yourself: Was it the impact of the object alone that caused the injury?
When the impact alone creates the injury, the event is considered as a "Struck-by" event. On the other hand, when the injury is created more as a result of crushing injuries between objects, the event is considered as "Caught-in/between."
Struck-by hazards are categorized as follows:
- struck by flying object
- struck by falling object
- struck by swinging object
- stuck by rolling object
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
5-1. When the impact alone causes an injury, the accident is considered a _____ event.
You forgot to answer the question!