Question 1

What are the top construction fatality causes, and what can I do to prevent them?

Accepted Answer

The Big Four construction fatalities are: falls (35% of deaths), struck-by objects (9%), electrocution (8%), and caught-in/between (5%). Falls are the leading cause; prevention requires fall protection systems (safety harnesses, guardrails, nets) for work above six feet. Struck-by prevention: secure loads, use netting on scaffolds, wear hard hats. Electrocution: keep electrical work away from water, ground equipment properly, use GFCI protection. Caught-in/between: guard moving machinery, ensure shoring and bracing are installed, maintain awareness around heavy equipment. Knowing these hazards and the controls dramatically reduces your risk.

Question 2

What is a hazard, a near miss, and an incident, and how do I report each?

Accepted Answer

A hazard is a condition or behavior that could cause injury (e.g., an unguarded edge, an electrical cord in water). A near miss is an event where no injury occurred but could have (e.g., a tool nearly falls from a scaffold but is caught). An incident is an event where someone is injured. Report all three: hazards to your supervisor immediately (do not work in the area until it is corrected); near misses to document patterns and prevent actual incidents; incidents to your supervisor, occupational health (if injury), and the OSHA recordkeeper. Reporting and investigation prevent future incidents. An employer that discourages reporting creates liability and allows hazards to persist.

Question 3

What is a safety program and what are its key elements?

Accepted Answer

A safety program is the employer's written plan for hazard identification, control, training, and investigation. Key elements: hazard assessment (identifying risks on site), controls (elimination, engineering controls, administrative controls, PPE), training (required for all workers and supervisors), inspections (regular checks for compliance), incident investigation (root cause analysis), and culture (management commitment, worker participation). A good safety program prevents incidents and legal liability. A poor or absent program is a setup for injuries and OSHA citations. If your employer does not have a visible, active safety program, that is a red flag.

Question 4

What is the hierarchy of controls and how do I apply it?

Accepted Answer

The hierarchy of controls ranks control methods from most effective to least: (1) Elimination (remove the hazard entirely), (2) Substitution (use a safer alternative), (3) Engineering controls (design out the hazard, e.g., guardrails instead of open edges), (4) Administrative controls (procedures, training, supervision), (5) PPE (personal protective equipment like hard hats and gloves). Higher-ranked controls are more effective and reliable. For example, a guardrail (engineering) is better than a harness (PPE) because the guardrail prevents falls without relying on worker behavior. Always try to eliminate or engineer out hazards rather than relying on PPE or procedures.

Question 5

What is a competent person and what qualifications do they need?

Accepted Answer

A competent person (e.g., for scaffolds, trenches, or fall protection) is a knowledgeable worker trained to recognize hazards and authorized to take corrective action. A competent person must: have knowledge of construction practices and hazards (typically gained through field experience), understand the regulatory standards (OSHA and state rules), be able to interpret plans and specifications, and have authority to stop unsafe work. A competent person is not a certified engineer; they are a skilled, trained field person. Your employer should designate competent persons by name and ensure they receive annual training. A competent person on site is often the difference between a safe project and an incident.

Question 6

What is the OSHA recordkeeping rule and what incidents must be reported?

Accepted Answer

OSHA 300 Log is the official record of work-related injuries and illnesses. Employers with 10 or more workers must maintain the log and post the summary publicly from February to April each year. Recordable incidents include: injuries or illnesses requiring medical treatment beyond first aid, days away from work, restricted work, or medical treatment. Not recorded: minor injuries treated with first aid (bandage, ointment, pain reliever) that require no further treatment. The OSHA log is used for safety analysis, identifying hazard patterns, and OSHA compliance. Workers have the right to report an injury to the log even if the employer disputes it; retaliation for reporting is illegal.

Question 7

What should I do if I witness an unsafe condition or behavior?

Accepted Answer

You have the right and responsibility to report unsafe conditions. Use the hierarchy: (1) Stop the unsafe work immediately if it is imminent danger (e.g., someone about to fall), (2) Report the hazard to your supervisor or safety officer in writing (email or incident report), (3) Request that the hazard be corrected before work resumes in that area, (4) If the employer does not correct the hazard and it is a serious violation, you can file an OSHA complaint confidentially (OSHA will investigate without naming you unless you give permission). Never retaliate against workers who report hazards; retaliation is illegal and creates a hostile, unsafe environment.

Region	Junior	Mid	Senior
USA	$0	$75k	$110k
UK	£0	£46k	£68k
EU	€0	€56k	€80k
CANADA	C$0	C$90k	C$132k

Region	Junior	Mid	Senior
USA	$0	$75k	$110k
UK	£0	£46k	£68k
EU	€0	€56k	€80k
CANADA	C$0	C$90k	C$132k

OSHA Construction Safety

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