ARTBA Personal Protective Equipment Video (DVD)

Work zone and jobsite accidents happen all too often in the construction industry. Granted, accidents can and do happen in every work environment, not just construction.

Is it because the industry is reckless and doesn’t care? Is it because employers push the employees too hard? Is it because the employees are not properly trained? It could be any and all of these and usually ends up being a combination of contributing factors.

Workplace accidents affect more than just the victim and the victim’s family. They often affect other employees, the company and at times the community. No one is exempt from accidents. They can and do happen to everyone with no differentiation because of age, ethnic background, economic status or education.

Take a look at the statistics from the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs :

Work Injury Statistics

Each year, more than 4.1 million people in the United States suffer a workplace injury or occupational illness.
The injury rate is about 4.4 cases per 100 full-time workers.
More than 2 million workers are injured severely enough on the job that they miss work and need ongoing medical care.
More workplace injures happen at mid-size companies (with between 50 and 249 workers) than at any other size business.
Small companies with fewer than 11 employees report the lowest incidence of workplace injuries.
In the United States, 165 people die from occupational diseases every day and 18 more die from a work-related injury – equaling about 1,000 deaths per year.
Workplace deaths, illnesses and injuries cost society $155.5 billion annually.
Most workplace injuries are preventable; only about 4 percent of all work-related accidents are caused by technical issues such as faulty equipment.
Healthcare workers account for 6.5 percent of workplace injuries and illnesses.
Construction is one of the most dangerous professions, with a rate of 15.2 deaths per 100,000 workers. The leading causes of death among construction workers are falls, car accidents, electrocution, machine accidents, and being struck by falling objects.
Construction workers account for 1 in 5 workplace deaths and 1 in 10 nonfatal on-the-job injuries and illnesses in 2004.
Car crashes are the leading cause of workplace fatalities, causing about 1,300 worker deaths each year.
Latino workers are injured on the job at a disproportionate rate.
According to the most recent figures available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas had more workplace deaths than any other state, followed by California and Florida.
In 12 states, — Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia – the number of workplace deaths increased by more than 20 percent.
Only 7 states — Alabama, Iowa, New Hampshire, New Jersey, South Carolina, Wisconsin, and Wyoming and the District of Columbia — recorded declines of more than 20 percent in the number of workplace deaths.

The “Last Line of Defense” is a new Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) safety video (DVD) available in Spanish and English. The DVD contains segments for managers and workers.

Like professional athletes, transportation construction workers need the right equipment to perform their jobs effectively—and safely! The new American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) training video on the proper use of PPE in roadway and heavy construction sites can help achieve this goal.

The video was developed by ARTBA’s expert safety team and reviewed by leading road construction industry and PPE executives.

Available in English and Spanish on the same disc, the DVD contains two segments.

The first helps company managers understand what to look for when purchasing PPE, and provides tips on motivating workers to wear it.

The second—and most valuable—is a “must-see” for company employees. It compares scenes from sporting events to roadway construction work, educating workers about the importance of properly wearing their PPE even if they don’t see the hazards around them.

The DVD is available for $200 to ARTBA members and $250 for non-members, plus shipping and handling. Order online at http://www.artbastore.org/ or by contacting ARTBA’s Liz Cavallaro at 1-888-821-9868 or lcavallaro@artba.org.

Among other things, the association’s foundation owns the nation’s largest online resource—the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse, which regularly hosts national and international safety conferences and forums, provides customized OSHA safety training courses designed specifically for road building professionals, presents annual awards that recognize outstanding industry excellence in safety, and offers a host of safety products and publications.

Related Reading:
Construction Safety Offers Economic Advantages
by: Greg Sitek

White Paper: A Crash Course On Worksite Safety And Security
Edited by: Greg Sitek

Provided By Volvo Construction Equipment, Asheville, NC

Greg Sitek

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