Development of a Coding System to Accurately Categorize the Causes ofConstruction Fatalities and Serious Injuries

摘要

There are approximately 910 construction worker fatalities in the United Stateseach year (National Safety Council, 1995). Although construction workers constitute only 5.2% of the industrial workforce, they account for over 18.4% of the fatalities and 10.6% of the injuries (Gambatese 1996). The only industries that have higher fatality rates are mining and agriculture. One of the functions of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is to investigate and track occupational injuries and fatalities. OSHA's involvement is reduced in the state-plan states; however, these states are still encouraged to contribute such data to OSHA. This information is recorded in OSHA's Integrated Management Information System (IMIS). While various types of information are recorded, particular interest exists in the basic types of causes associated with fatalities and injuries. OSHA classifies all accidents into six event types: Falls, Struck by, Struck Against, Caught In or Between, Shock, and Other.