CONSTRUCTION SAFETY

According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), approximately 4800 fatalities- Main Causes of Construction Accidents has occurred in the construction industry in 2018.  These staggering results have triggered a calculated response from top management to revolutionize their safety protocols, procedures, and specific ways of working their jobs in the field and at their shops.  OSHA recognizes a strategic plan with bold approaches which are necessary to the implementation of processes that keep people and teams safe during the entirety of work shifts at various construction venues. 

For this reason, FPIS Investigations has enlisted itself to be an active and available resource to construction organizations, to champion investigative services with assessments, problem solving, and developing safety processes that eliminate the fatal four causes of fatalities in 2018.  To ensure a more critical effort in implementing insurance fraud prevention measures in the construction industry, FPIS provides the following:

Awareness

•   Investigators who visit worksites to conduct real time risk assessments of their current state site set up.  For Example: when an associate must walk on rails, they must be tethered (made with special material for working in elevated situations) to the structure to catch them if they fall
•   Investigators that take the current state assessment, discuss the safety gaps with the company, and provide countermeasures proposals to remove the gaps/hazards to build proposed future state worksite set up
•   Gaps/hazards/fatal four causes of fatalities: Major falls, electrocutions, caught between equipment and objects, struck by objects –Main Causes of Construction Accidents
•   Investigators who assess maintenance procedures for equipment to make sure technicians follow the best safety protocols for electrical, hydraulic, and mechanical

Safety

•   Investigators that educate the company on Occupational Safety and Health Acts (OSHA) standards for their specific industry.   Document management/controls, ergonomic improvements, and safety stand-downs (hazard findings) are some proactive examples that ensure the company is compliant.  These aforementioned tools are used to address hazards on the assigned job or task in real time.  Associates review and sign them before they begin to work in the area.
  • Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) and Safety Task Assessment (STA)
•   Investigators that will inspect certifications and licenses for equipment to make sure they are timely and relevant for all jobs and project applications
•   Investigators who make recommendations on the latest safety industry tools for machines and equipment (i.e., strobe lights).  

Evidence

•   Investigators who assess impact areas of loss to understand why the accident occurred, how it happened, and will determine the root cause provided recommendations for countermeasures to solve the problem.  For example, a root analysis recommendation of preventative measures can be implemented as provision for proper spacing around moving machines and equipment, before-during-after machine inspections, etc.
•   Investigators that will provide the company with technical reporting that covers the findings and recommendations, which will serve as a historical record that shares the company’s safety (before/after) log.
•   Implemented processes that have been improved by investigators that help construction companies to ensure that work instructions are updated, and the operators are trained on the new tools, techniques, etc.

Conclusion:

Construction companies will become empowered with proven insurance fraud investigative/preventative measures that reveal hazards before they occur and can partner with companies such as FPIS Investigations to work to remove or reduce hazards.   Investigators can also locate root causes to accidents after occurrence with a solution to prevent any recurrence.  As a result, understanding safety policies and root analysis will eliminate and or reduce the liability that negatively affects the company’s bottom line.  For more information, reach out to FPIS to learn how we can partner with you in your investigations, www.fpisinv.com

References:

1] Morelli, Construction Accidents. “What are the main causes of accidents in Construction”. Morelli Law Website, 2022. Main Causes of Construction Accidents