Project report

Course title:
CIVIL ENGINEERING PRACTICE
Submitted by:
GROUP N0 03
ALI RAZA

UW-13-CE-Bsc-011

IRFAN ALI

UW-13-CE-Bsc-003

MUHAMMAD ABUZAR

UW-13-CE-Bsc-001

MASOOD CHANDIO

UW-13-CE-Bsc-027

RAJA ZULQERNAIN

UW-13-CE-Bsc-044

Submitted to:
SIR SHAMIR JANJUA

Department of civil engineering

WEC

CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS IN
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

Acknowledgment:

Countless gratitude to Almighty ALLAH, Who is then omnipotent, omnipresent & HE, who
blessed with the chance and choice, health and courage, and knowledge enabled us to complete
this project.
All respect for the HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD (S.A.W.W), who is forever a torch of
knowledge and guidance to humanity & enables us to shape our life according to the teachings of
ISLAM, & endowed us an exemplary guidance in every sphere of life.
I acknowledge the services of Mr. Shamir Janjua in helping and guiding me in compiling and
presenting the present report. In fact it would not have been possible for me to accomplish this
task without his help.
I dedicate this work to my Parents, to whom I am very thankful as they encouraged me and
provided me all the necessary resources that had made possible for me to be able to accomplish
this task.
Regards

Ali RAZA

Contents

Abstract...................................................................................................................... 5
Introduction................................................................................................................ 6
Causes of Accidents in Construction projects.............................................................7

Construction Site Falls......................................................................................... 7

Exposure to irritants............................................................................................. 7
Excessive noise/vibrating tool hazards......................................................................7
Struck-By.......................................................................................................... 7
Trenching & Evacuation........................................................................................ 7
Repetitive Motion Injuries, Heat Stroke, and Other Overexertion.....................................7
Trench or Building Collapses.................................................................................. 7

Construction Site Falls................................................................................... 7

Falling objects............................................................................................... 7

Defective equipment..................................................................................... 8

Unsafe Working Conditions...........................................................................8

Scaffolding Accidents.................................................................................... 8

Stepladder Misuse......................................................................................... 8

Exposure to irritants...................................................................................... 8

Excessive noise/vibrating tool hazards.........................................................9

Struck-By....................................................................................................... 9

Trenching & Evacuation................................................................................. 9

Electrocutions and Power Tool Accidents.....................................................10

Construction Vehicle Accidents...................................................................10

Slip/Trip and falls......................................................................................... 10

Fires and Explosions.................................................................................... 10

High Lead Levels......................................................................................... 10

Repetitive Motion Injuries, Heat Stroke, and Other Overexertion................10

Trench or Building Collapses.......................................................................11

Recommendations.................................................................................................... 11
References................................................................................................................ 12

Abstract
Fall accidents in construction projects, particularly building works, are the most frequent
accidents. Those accidents may results in death and serious injuries of workers involved and
other consequences such as lost of work days and the industry bad image. Robust accident
prevention is required through improving continously health and safety in construction.
Therefore, understanding triggering events and their factors leading to accidents are of important
input. The objective of this report to find the causes of accident cases
It is expected the knowledge shared in this paper assist all people involved in construction
projects to plan an accident prevention strategy properly.

Introduction
Anyone involved in the construction industry would know that construction safety accidents are
part and parcel of the industry. However, this only means that you should be doing all you can to
make sure that they don't occur.
The next best thing to completely eliminating accidents is reducing them, or at least reducing the
risk of them occurring.
If you want to achieve this goal, you have to first understand what the main causes of accidents
and deaths are on construction sites. Providing a solution to a problem is not impossible without
first knowing the causes of a problem.

Causes of Accidents in Construction projects

Construction accidents are usually the result of oversight, improper execution, or a lack of
awareness on somebodys part. Specifically, these are some of the common causes:

Construction Site Falls

Falling objects

Defective equipment

Unsafe Working Conditions

Scaffolding Accidents

Stepladder Misuse
Exposure to irritants
Excessive noise/vibrating tool hazards
Struck-By
Trenching & Evacuation
Electrocutions and Power Tool Accidents
Construction Vehicle Accidents
Slip/Trip and falls.
Fires and Explosions
High Lead Levels
Repetitive Motion Injuries, Heat Stroke, and Other Overexertion
Trench or Building Collapses

Construction Site Falls

Construction sites often require workers to perform their duties from elevated heights. Fall
injuries are already one of the major causes of injury, but on constructions sites, the risk is even
higher. Whether its on a ladder, scaffolding, ledge, or other raised surface, there is always a risk
of falling. These falls can be particularly dangerous when the height involved is more than a few
feet or the landing site is hazardous.

Falling objects
In a similar scenario you may be working on a construction site when an object is dropped onto
you from above without any warning or the ability on your part to move out of the way causing
an injury to you which makes it impossible for you to continue working. Injuries could vary from
minor cuts and bruises to more serious crush injuries and head and brain injuries
Again, your employer is responsible for your health and safety whilst you are on the construction
site whether they are the main contractor or not and they are required by law to keep you
reasonably safe whilst you are in their employment.

Defective equipment
If your employer provides you with power tools to allow you to complete your job then they are
responsible for keeping that work equipment in a good working order and for carrying out
repairs to the equipment should it become defective. In the event that the work equipment
becomes defective and as a result of that defect you are injured your employer would be
liable for the defective equipment and responsible to compensate you for your injuries.

Unsafe Working Conditions

An unsafe condition is a condition in which the physical layout of the workplace or work
locations, the status of tools, equipment, and/or material are in violation of contemporary safety
standards. Unsafe conditions on a construction site include exposed rebar, uncovered holes or
trenches, and inadequate personal protective equipment, etc. Accidents can be caused by failing
to identify an unsafe condition, ignorance of an unsafe condition reported by workers, or
deciding to act unsafe in the work environment.

Scaffolding Accidents
Scaffolding accidents cause large numbers of deaths and injuries every year. Most accidents are
caused by scaffold equipment failure, inadequate scaffolding safety training, lack of personal fall
protective systems, or improper scaffolding equipment operation. In addition, materials and tools
falling off scaffolding may also cause injuries.

Stepladder Misuse
The majority of falls in construction accidents are due to stepladder misuse or failures. Ladder
injuries include loss of balance, improperly ladder setting up, loss of balance, and exceeding the
ladder weight capacity, etc. Information on the causes of ladder injuries, ladder types, ladder
misuse and safe ladder practices can be found in the document of Ladder Safety in
Construction developed by Washington State Department of Labor & Industries

Exposure to irritants
The final thing to consider whilst looking at common accidents in construction is to consider
contact with irritants either through inhaling gasses or substances such as carbon monoxide or
asbestos dust. Some of these irritants can have devastating consequences on your health and life.
If you consider that any of the items discussed in the article affect you in any way please contact
a personal injury solicitor who can advise you further in the event that you wish to consider
making a personal injury claim against the responsible party

Excessive noise/vibrating tool hazards

Noise and vibrating tools are also a cause for concern whilst working in the construction industry
as excessive noise from power tools can cause hearing loss or problems such as tinnitus (ringing
in the ears). Your employer has a duty to check for excessive noise and where possible to reduce
the level of noise or the length of time you are exposed to excessive noise whilst on site. If your
employer cannot do this they are required to provide protective equipment such as ear defenders
and to ensure that you are wearing the personal protective equipment (PPE) that they have
provided.
The vibration from power tools can cause nerve and tendon damage to the hands, arms and
wrists which if experienced can be extremely debilitating with reduction and sometimes total
loss of grip strength. If you believe you are experiencing symptoms from the use of vibrating
power tools it is important that you seek early medical advice to allow medical intervention to
reduce any symptoms that you may have.
Whilst working in construction your employer has a duty to keep you safe and to provide you
with personal protective equipment. This may vary from site to site but would generally consist
of high visibility clothing, steel toe capped boots and hard hats, dependant on the nature of your
work knee pads ear defenders, face masks and back supports are also commonly provided
protective equipment.

Struck-By
This category refers to dangerous contact between humans and heavy equipment. In the great
majority of cases, cranes and trucks are the main cause of accidents and deaths. Apart from
heavy vehicles, you must also watch out for falling objects and unstable walls.

Trenching & Evacuation

Contrary to popular belief, cave-ins are not the leading cause of accidents and fatalities when it
comes to trenching. Here are a couple of other hazards to watch out for:
- Not having enough oxygen in a closed space (which leads to asphyxiation)
- Toxic fumes
- Drowning
- Unexpected contact with underground pipes and lines
Now that you know the leading causes of Construction Safety Accidents, it's time to take
appropriate and immediate action to minimize the chance of those occurring any time soon.
While construction injuries are often covered by worker's compensation claims, it is often
possible that a personal injury claim could be filed as well for third party liability. For example,
if a worker is injured because a tool is defective, there may be a product liability claim against
the tool manufacturer. Or, if a worker is injured in an accident while driving a company truck, if
another driver is responsible for the accident, the worker may be able to get both workers'
compensation and personal injury claim benefits.

Electrocutions and Power Tool Accidents

Electrocutions can be caused by body contact with power cables, cable strikes on underground
utilities, or defective of ground-fault protection. Power tool accidents, such as nail gun injuries,
are usually caused by inappropriate use or inadequate eye protection. Furthermore, improper
guards in place on power tool management may lead to more severe injuries.

Construction Vehicle Accidents

Large construction equipment (e.g. cranes, forklifts, dump trucks, road graders and concrete
mixtures, etc.) may become potential dangers on a construction site. Due to their weight and size,
workers and drivers can be seriously injured or killed in an accident. In some cases, drivers may
not have competent driving skills, or their visibility may be limited due to site constraints.

Slip/Trip and falls

Construction workers dont have to fall from high heights to injure themselves. Slip/trip and falls
often lead to severe injuries that require ongoing medical attention. These slips or trips are
usually related to uneven or slippery surfaces, inadequate stairs, or improperly placed equipment

Fires and Explosions

Construction sites often contain hazardous conditions such as exposed wiring, leaking pipes,
and flammable chemicals that could lead to fires and explosions. Less common than some other
types of accidents, these can, however, be fatal or result in serious injuries.

High Lead Levels

Unsafe construction sites and work practices can lead to work exposures to lead. Construction
workers represented 16% of elevated blood lead concentration cases in past few years

Repetitive Motion Injuries, Heat Stroke, and Other Overexertion

Due to the hard physical labor required for construction work, employees in this industry
often have injuries related to overexertion, including:
Repetitive motion injuries
Muscle and joint damage due to over use
Heat stress in hot conditions that can lead to brain, heart, or kidney damage or death
Hypothermia or frostbite resulting in the loss of fingers, toes, and parts of the face in cold
climates

Trench or Building Collapses

Another common type of construction injury is when a trench that's being built collapses on the
workers inside. A building thats being demolished or thats under construction can suddenly or
unexpectedly collapse, killing or seriously injuring those inside..

Recommendations

Be aware of the risks around you. Common hazards on construction sites include
falling debris and materials, live electrical wiring, and falls from high heights.
Keep it clean. Put up tools and materials when youre done using them and ensure your
workspace is free of hazards. Keep all walkways clear and free of debris to prevent
unnecessary falls and slips.
Take part in any training provided. Additionally, dont operate any equipment youre
not qualified or trained to use.
Report any dangerous working conditions. If you spot hazards in your work
environment, report it to your employer. If necessary, go to your union representative or
file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Maintain your tools. Before using a piece of equipment or machinery, ensure it is in
proper working order. Keep all tools and machinery on a regular inspection schedule.
Wear safety gear. Always wear the recommended safety equipment for your job.
Whether its a hard hat, goggles, gloves, or protective suit, these items could save your
life.
Follow any and all guidelines set in place by OSHA or your employer. These are
designed to keep you, your colleagues, and anyone else on the site safe.

Were you or someone you love injured in construction site accidents? You could be due
compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and more.

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