Nearly half of the workplace fatalities in residential construction that occurred in the last four years happened to workers who had been with their employer less than a year, according to "Residential Construction Industry Fatalities 2003-2006," a recently completed NAHB safety study.
An additional 25% of the fatalities involved workers who had been with their companies between one and five years.
"The fact that two-thirds of residential construction workplace fatalities happen to workers with less than five years with their current employer shows how critical it is for companies to spend the time to provide comprehensive safety training to their new employees," said Buck Roberts, president of A.B. Roberts Construction Company in Anderson, S.C. and chairman of NAHB's Construction Safety and Health Committee.
Falls, which accounted for 45% of the industry's reported deaths, were the most common cause of home building fatalities, according to the study. Workers most often fell from roofs, ladders and scaffolding.
The fatally injured workers were most often installing, building or assembling items such as siding, roofing, decking, walls, windows and scaffolding at the time of the fall, the study found.
In addition, more than half of the fall-related fatalities were workers who were 45 or older.
"Even if your new employees come to you having worked many years in residential construction, they may not be familiar with safety practices on your site," said Roberts. "Thorough and job-specific safety training is essential regardless of the employee's age or experience level."
The study evaluated the 1,385 work-related deaths that were reported in residential construction from 2003 to 2006. Data was collected from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries as well as employment estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey and the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages.
Study Available Free From NAHB
The study, available free from NAHB, is the most comprehensive analysis of home building industry fatalities to date.
To download a free copy of the full study or its executive summary from the NAHB Web site, go to: www.nahb.org/fatalitystudy.
NAHB Working With OSHA to Improve Worker Safety
NAHB is working with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to provide the latest safety information, guidance and access to training resources to help members protect employees' health and safety.
"NAHB's comprehensive set of resources — ranging from 10-minute Toolbox Safety Talks that can be held while the workers are eating lunch to daylong training seminars — are geared towards helping companies improve the safety awareness and practices of their employees," said Robert Matuga, NAHB assistant staff vice president of labor, safety and health.
The fall protection training seminar from NAHB and the NAHB Research Center is held in locations around the country for builders, trade contractors, supervisors and workers. It focuses on identifying fall hazards in residential construction and understanding OSHA fall protection regulations and safe work practices in order to prevent fall-related injuries and deaths.
To learn more about the fall protection training program ― and to see a list of scheduled seminar locations for 2008 ― visit www.nahb.org/fallprotectiontraining.
To purchase safety publications, videos and other resources online from BuilderBooks.com, visit www.builderbooks.com/safety.
For more information on NAHB safety training programs, e-mail Lindsay Cather at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8163.
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