Struck-by Vehicle Incidents Cause 15 Percent of Workplace Fatalities in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska
OSHA is continuing its outreach campaign to educate employers and workers in the region.
According to a news release from OSHA, 15 percent of all workplace fatalities in the last five years investigated by the Kansas City Regional Office of OSHA have involved moving equipment that struck employees in the workplace.
Struck-by injuries and fatalities are caused by conventional vehicles, forklifts, semitrucks, and other moving industrial equipment, such as cranes and yard trucks. OSHA is continuing its Regional Emphasis Program (REP) in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska, with the goal of educating employers and workers about the hazards associated with these vehicles and preventing tragic incidents. The REP is intended to address hazards associated with the operation of motorized equipment in construction, general and maritime industries.
"Fatalities occurring from vehicles striking workers are senseless and preventable," said Marcia Drumm, acting regional administrator for OSHA in Kansas City. "This REP allows OSHA inspectors to evaluate compliance with associated standards when conducting all inspections and focus on these real dangers."
More than one-third of the incidents involved either forklifts or semitrucks, and fatalities occurred across industries and company sizes. Seventy percent of the fatal incidents occurred at general industry work sites, while 24 percent happened in construction. Nineteen percent of the struck-by-vehicle fatalities were at employers with 10 or few employees; 46 percent were at midsize companies with 11-100 employees; and the remaining 35 percent were at larger employers with more than 100 employees.