Occupational Safety Advantages And Disadvantages

I. Introduction

It would not be too outrageous to call a construction site a “playground for adults.” After all, there are obstacles which require climbing, crawling, balancing, and other activities associated with jungle gyms. However, instead of falling a few feet onto a padded surface or into sand, construction laborers are at risk of falling hundreds of feet onto hard surfaces, or being crushed or struck by large objects. The risks cannot be compared on a similar scale. Hence, it is not surprising that construction ranks itself as being one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. In 2010 alone, there were 774 reported jobsite fatalities to construction laborers, which was the most of any industry in the country (“OSHA’s

Today it acts as the federal jurisdiction for employers (both in the public and private sector) to provide safe and healthy environments for employees. It covers all occupational industries, covering a wide range of hazards such as chemicals, physical and mechanical danger, pathogenic viruses, and more. The act created the governmental organization, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which is part of the United States Department of Labor. The Secretary of Labor and Assistance Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health will oversee OSHA. Besides enforcing workplace safety through inspection, OSHA provides training and information covering the topics in the remainder of this paper. These training sessions are often in the form of OSHA 10- or 30-hour courses, which many employers will require their employees to enroll in ("Occupational Safety and Health Act of

The moment of contact will injure or kill the worker. Often times, these types of incidents occur accidentally or due to events out of control of the workers. Still, workers must remain attentive on the jobsite to insure that they are never located too close to moving objects. In particular, when a crane is in operation, workers should avoid being anywhere near its radius in the event that the crane drops its load. Wearing protective personal equipment cannot always fully guard a worker, but it is best always wear it to protect one’s head, eyes, and hands. The bright orange or yellow color on a safety vest will also help machinery operators notice that there is a worker in the vicinity. If a worker does need to cross an area blocked by machinery, it is always best for the worker to make eye contact with the operator before proceeding ("OSHA 's Focus Four: Mitigating Jobsite