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Injuries and Accident Causes in Carpentry Operations A Detailed Analysis of Accidents Experienced by Carpenters During 1948 and 1949 Bulletin No. 1118 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Maurice J. Tobin, Secretary BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS Ewan Clague, Com m issioner Injuries and Accident Causes in Carpentry Operations Bulletin No. 1118 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Maurice J. Tobin, Secretary BUREAU OP LABOR STATISTICS Ewan Clague, Com m issioner For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D. C. - Price 35 cents LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, Washington, D. C., September 25> 1952 The Secretary of Labors I have the honor to transmit herewith a report on the occurrence and causes of work injuries experienced by carpenters. This report constitutes a part of the Bureau•s regular program of compiling work-injury information for use in accident-prevention work. The statistical analysis and the preparation of the report were performed in the Bureau's Branch of Industrial Hazards by Frank S. McElroy and George R. McCormack. The specific accidentprevention suggestions were prepared by Roland P. Blake of the Division of Safety Standards in the Bureau of Labor Standards. Ewan Clague, Commissioner. Hon. Maurice J. Tobin, Secretary of Labor. II CONTENTS The injury record.............................................. Scope and method of survey.......................................... Injury rates (definition of terms and procedures).............. Injury-frequency rate.............................. Average time charge per disabling injury.......... ........ Injury severity rate................... Accident-cause analysis (definition of terms and procedures).... Agency of injury.......................................... Accident type.............. Hazardous working condition............ Agency of accident....................................... Unsafe act................................................ Hazards of the occupation........................ Kinds of injuries experienced........................... „.......... Fatalities.................... Permanent-total disabilities.................................... Permanent-partial disabilities................................. Temporary-total disabilities................ Accident analysis.... .............................................. Manner of injury (accident type)........................... Accident causes..................................................... Hazardous working conditions............................. Defective agencies.... .................. Improperly guarded agencies.............................. Lack of proper equipment.................................. Hazardous working procedures.......... Poor housekeeping........................................ Lack of personal protective equipment..................... Unsafe acts.................................................... Assuming an unsafe position or posture.................... Incorrect handling or unsafe use of equipment............. Failure to secure or warn, operating without authority.... Unsafe loading or placing................................. Miscellaneous unsafe acts.................... Accident prevention suggestions..................................... Case descriptions and recommendations......................... Appendix - Statistical tables................................... Page 1 2 2 3 3 3 3 k 3 5 5 3 6 7 7 9 9 11 12 lU 13 13 16 16 18 18 18 18 19 20 20 22 22 22 23 23 38 III INJURIES AND ACCIDENT CAUSES IN CARPENTRY OPERATIONS The Injury Record All available information indicates that the injury-frequency rate 1/ for carpenters is slightly higher than the average for all construction occupa tions. A somewhat lower than average frequency of fatalities* however, gives carpenters a comparatively favorable injury-severity record. In 19U8, the most recent year for which separate injury rates are avail able for the various construction operations, carpenters experienced an average of 38.2 disabling injuries in every million employee-hours worked. 2/ The corresponding average for all construction workers in that year was 36.7. The injuries to carpenters produced an average time charge of 106 days per case, representing a time loss of l+.l days for every 1,000 employee-hours worked. For the construction industry as a whole the comparable averages were 135 days charged per case and 5*0 days lost per 1,000 hours worked. In comparison with most nonconstruction activities, the carpenters* in jury record was less favorable. The all-manufacturing injury-frequency rate in 19U8 was only 17.2, less than half the rate for carpenters. 3/ Similarly, the average severity of the injuries experienced by manufacturing workers tended to be much less than for carpenters* injuries. In manufacturing, the average time charge per injury was 83 days and the severity rate was 1.5 in contrast to the carpenters' averages of 106 and I4..I. 1/ The injury-frequency rate is the average number of disabling work in ju r e s for each million employee-hours worked. A disabling work injury is any injury occurring in the course of and arising out of employment, which (a) results in death or any degree of per manent physical impairment, or (b) makes the injured person unable to perform the duties of any regularly established job open and available to him, throughout the hours corresponding to.his regular shift on any day after the day of injury, including Sundays, holidays, and periods of plant shut-down. See chapter on Scope and Method for further discussion of injury rates and their computation. 2/ Work Injuries in Construction, 19U8-U9, Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin No. lOOi*. 3/ Work Injuries in the United States During 19U8, Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin No. 975. 1 2 The lack of specific injury data for carpenters in subsequent periods pre cludes exact comparisons for more recent years* The indications are, however, that the spread between the injury rates for carpenters and for manufactur ing workers has widened rather than narrowed. The all-construction injuryfrequency rate rose to 39.9 in 19U9 and to 1(1.0 in 1950. Presumably, the carpenters• frequency rate rose proportionately with that of the industry. On the other hand, the all-manufacturing injury-frequency rate dropped sharp ly to lli.5 in rising only slightly to lii.7 in 1950. 19k9i b/ The 19l|8 data indicate in detail a considerable variation in the injury experience of carpenters engaged in different types of construction activity. On the whole, the carpenters working for general contractors had higher injury-frequency and severity rates than those working for special-trades contractors. In the general-contracting field, for example, carpenters em ployed by highway and street contractors had an injury-frequency rate of 55 .2 ; those employed by heavy-engineering and marine contractors had a rate of I4I1.8} and those employed by general-building contractors had a rate of 37 .8 . Scope and Method of Survey The Bureau of Labor Statistics has compiled annual injury rates for the construction industry as a whole and for each of the three primary types of construction— building, heavy engineering, and highway— each year since 1958. In general, the reports received in the surveys prior to 19l|8 came from gen eral contractors, although some reports were received from special-trades contractors in each classification. In 191+8 the coverage and detail of the survey were enlarged and injury rates were presented for a wide range of special-trade operations and also in occupational detail. The occupational breakdowns were not continued in subsequent years, but separate injury-rate information was compiled for a number of special-trade contracting operations in both 19i|9 and 1950. All the data assembled in the injury-rate surveys were collected by mail. Reporting is entirely voluntary. Injury Rates The injury-rate comparisons presented in this report are based primarily upon injury-frequency and severity rates compiled under the definitions and procedures specified in the American Standard Method of Compiling Industrial injury Rates, as approved by the American Standards Association in 19ti5. These standard rates have been supplemented by an additional measure of in jury severity designated as the average time charge per disabling injury. These measures are computed as follows: b/ Work Injuries in the United States During 1950, Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin No. 1098. 3 Injury-Frequency Rate.— The injury-frequency rate represents the average number of disabling work injuries occurring in each million employee-hours worked. It is computed according to the following formula: Number of disabling injuries Frequency rate * multiplied by 1,000,000_____ Number of employee-hours worked Average Time Charge Per Disabling Injury.— The relative severity of a temporary injury is measured by the number’of calendar days during which the injured person is unable to work at any regularly established job which is open and available to him, excluding the day of injury and the day on which he returns to work. The relative severity of death and permanent impairment cases is determined by reference to a table of economic time charges included in the American Standard Method of Compiling Industrial Injury Rates. These time charges, based upon an average working-life expectancy of 20 years for the entire working population, represent the average percentage of working ability lost as the result of specified impairments, expressed in unpro ductive days. The average time charge per disabling injury is computed by adding the days lost for each temporary injury and the days charged accord ing to the standard table for each death and permanent impairment and divid ing the total by the number of disabling injuries. Injury-Severity Rate.— The injury-severity rate weights each disabling injury with its corresponding time-loss or time-charge and expresses the aggregate in terms of the average number of days lost or charged per 1,000 employee-hours worked. It is computed according to the following formula: Total days lost or charged Severity rate ■ multiplied by 1,000 Number of employee-hours worked Accident-Cause Analysis The individual accident case records collected for this study were ob tained from State workmen's compensation files. This represents a deviation from the Bureau's regular practice in similar surveys for other industries in which the data are obtained from the records of individual employers. A basic characteristic of the construction industry dictated this change in the method of data collection. Most firms which employ carpenters are relatively small. Therefore, even though the injury rate is comparatively high, the number of injuries experienced by employees of any one establishment is also small. The number of visits to individual establishments necessary to ob tain an adequate volume of case records for analysis, therefore, would have been prohibitive both in terms of time and expense. Use of the compensation files as the source of the data placed some limi tations upon the analysis, particularly in respect to the degree of detail in which the findings could be presented. It is believed, however, that the h greater volume of case records obtained by this collection method compensated in large measure for the lack of additional details which could have been ob tained through discussion of the individual cases with the employers, super visors, or workers who might be acquainted with the unreported circumstances associated with the accidents. The workmen's compensation agencies of nine States cooperated by making their files available for this survey. These States— Arkansas, California, Colorado, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia— constitute a reasonable cross section of the country, insuring the reflection of all possible variations in hazards introduced by differences in climate or construction procedures as well as the differences arising from State safety codes and safety enforcement practices. A total of 9,061 in dividual accident records was obtained. The primary basis of selection was occupational— the injured person in each instance was either a journeyman carpenter, a carpenter aporentice, a carpenter's helper, or a carpenter super visor. In the great majority of these cases, the injured person was employed by a general contractor. Included, however, were carpenters employed in many of the special-trade contractors' groups. Maintenance carpenters employed by nonconstruction companies were excluded. The selected cases were taken from the records for the years 19i*8 and 19^9. For each case selected, a Bureau of Labor Statistics representative transcribed from the records, insofar as the data were available, the following items of information: Place where the ac cident occurred; the work in which the injured was engaged at the time of the accident; the nature of the injury; the part of body injured; and a descrip tion of how and why the accident occurred. The accident-cause analysis procedure used in this study differs in some respects from the procedures specified in the American Standard Method of Compiling Industrial Accident Causes, which are usually followed in the Bu reau's studies. The deviations from the standard include the introduction of an additional analysis factor, termed the "agency of injury," and the modifi cation of the standard definitions of some of the other factors in order to permit more accurate cross classifications. Agency of Injury.— The standard classification provides for the selection of only one "agency" in the analysis of each accident. By definition this agency may be either (a) the object or substance which was unsafe and which thereby contributed to the occurrence of the accident, or (b) in the absence of such an unsafe object or substance, the object or substance most closely related to the injury. Under this definition, therefore, a tabulation of "agencies" for a group of accidents will include objects or substances which may have been inherently safe and unrelated to the occurrence of the acci dents, as well as those which led to the occurrence of accidents because of their condition, location, structure, method of use, or other unsafe charac teristic. The development of the classification "agency of injury" repre sents an attempt to separate and classify separately these two agency con cepts . 5 As used in this study, the "agency of injury" is the object, substance, or bodily reaction which actually produced the injury, selected without regard to its safety characteristics or its influence upon the chain of events con stituting the accident. Accident-Type.— As used in this study, the accident-type classification assigned to each accident is purely descriptive of the occurrence which re sulted in the injury and is related specifically to the agency of injury. It indicates how the injured person came into contact with or was affected by the previously selected agency of injury. This represents a change from the standard procedure in two respects: First, the accident-type classification is specifically related to the previously selected agency of injuryj and second the sequence of selecting this factor is specified. Hazardous Working Condition.— Under the standard definition, the hazardous working condition indicated in the analysis is defined as the "unsafe mechan ical or physical condition of the selected agency which could have been guarded or corrected." This implies the prior selection of the "agency," but does not provide for recognition of any relationship between the unsafe con dition and accident-type classifications* Nor does the standard provide for any definite relationship between the "agency" and "accident type" classi fications. To provide continuity and establish direct relationships among the various analysis factors so as to permit cross classification, the standard defini tion was modified for this study to read: "The unsafe mechanical or physical condition is the hazardous condition which permitted or occasioned the oc currence of the selected accident type." The hazardous-condition classifica tion, therefore, was selected after the determination of the accident-type classification and represents the physical or mechanical reason for the oc currence of that particular accident without regard to the feasibility of guarding or correcting the unsafe condition. Elimination of the condition "which could have been guarded or corrected" is based upon the premise that statistical analysis should indicate the ex istence of hazards, but should not attempt to specify the feasibility of corrective measures. Agency of Accident.— For the purpose of this survey, the agency of accident was defined as the "object, substance, or premises in or about which the hazardous condition existed." Its selection, therefore, is directly asso ciated with the hazardous condition which led to the occurrence of the injury. In many instances the agency of injury and the agency of accident were found to be identical* The double agency classification, however, avoids any possibility of ambiguity in the interpretation of the "agency" tabulations. Unsafe Act.— The unsafe act definition used in this survey was identical with the standard definition, i. e., "that violation of a commonly accepted safe procedure which resulted in the selected accident type." 234999 0 - 5 3 6 Hazards of the Occupation In common with most other construction trades, carpenters face many more hazards arising from the work environment than from the specific operations of their trade. The fact that they seldom work for long periods at any one loca tion and the necessity of working in close proximity to other trades which are usually under different supervision contributes greatly to the existence of environmental hazards. Housekeeping problems are particularly difficult to overcome in these circumstances. On new construction, particularly residential and small commercial jobs, the premises around the structures are frequently muddy, slippery, rutted, cut by open trenches, obstructed by piles of dirt and materials, cluttered with the equipment of many trades, and littered with scrap materials. The possi bility of injury from a slip or fall, or from contact with sharp or rough materials arises as soon as the worker enters the construction area. These hazards are intensified by the manual operations involved in the movement of materials and equipment at the job site. Because the materials are frequently heavy, bulky, or awkward to handle, the operation in itself presents consider able possibility for strains, sprains, or other injuries arising from over exertion. The hazardous surfaces over which they must be moved add greatly to these possibilities. Inside a new structure there are many possibilities of slips, falls, and overexertion due to unfinished floors which are frequently rough, irregular, and cluttered with materials or scrap; unguarded floor openings; open stair ways; and rough access ladders. Falling materials, originating in the opera tions of other trades on the premises as well as in their own, constitute another important hazard for nearly all construction workers. On many types of construction, carpenters work ahead of the other trades, erecting the structural framework and building the surfaces, platforms, and scaffolds on which the other trades will work. In doing this they frequently must climb on and work from open structural members with little protection from the possibilities of falls. In repair work carpenters also encounter many hazards arising from poor housekeeping conditions and frequently find it necessary to work in tight and relatively inaccessible quarters. The lack of adequate scaffolds and ladders on repair jobs of short duration frequently leads workers to utilize makeshift methods of reaching elevated positions and results in falls. The lumber and other materials with which carpenters work are frequently heavy and awkward to handle. In addition, the edges of lumber may be sharp or splintery. As most of these materials must be moved into position by hand, carpenters face the possibility of hand cuts, crushed fingers and toes, and strains and sprains from overexertion. 7 The hand tools of the trade, many of which have sharp cutting edges, pre sent many hazards when they are mishandled or are not kept in good condition. Portable electric saws, jointers, drills, and other powered tools are fre quently used in carpentry operations. In many instances the cutting edges of these tools are inadequately guarded and in field use they are frequently not grounded to prevent electrical shock. Kinds of Injuries Experienced The 9,061 disabling injury cases which were examined in detail included 1+2 fatalities, 6 permanent-total disabilities, 309 permanent-partial disabili ties, and 8,7QU which were listed as temporary-total disabilities. Some of the last group were still undergoing treatment at the time the records were reviewed and their final classification could not be definitely determined. Presumably, a f e w of these cases ultimately would develop into fatalities or permanent disabilities. Fatalities Skull fractures accounted for 15 of the 1+2 reported deaths. Twelve of these were the result of falls; 1 resulted from a collision of a truck with a railroad train and another was due to a broken hoist cable which permitted a creosoted pile to fall and strike a workman. For the fifteenth case, no details were available. Of the 12 falls resulting in skull fractures, 11 were from elevations; 1+ of these were from scaffolds. For two of these accidents the records merely indicated that the workmen had fallen from scaffolds. In the third case, a carpenter was killed when a scaffold on which he was working collapsed. The fourth scaffold accident occurred as a carpenter was temporarily operating a hoist, the controls of which were located on the scaffold. Apparently, the carpenter disengaged the brake as he was reaching for the hoisting lever. The cage, carrying a wheelbarrow loaded with concrete, fell about 30 feet be fore the carpenter could stop it. When he applied the brake, the sudden stop broke a guy wire on the boom of the hoist, permitting the boom to fall. The workman was knocked from the scaffold by the boom and fell 60 feet to the street. Two carpenters fell from elevations to concrete floors and were killed. In one case the carpenter fell from a ladder on which he had been climbing to a scaffold. As he neared the top of the ladder, he grasped a 2" by 6" scaf fold timber. The plank, which had not been nailed, moved and he lost his balance. In the second case a carpenter fell through a floor opening which he had made to permit the erection of a smokestack. Five other carpenters suffered skull fractures when they fell from eleva tions. One was knocked from a railroad car by a timber as it was being raised by a hoist. Another lost his balance and fell from a roof as he was handling lumber. A third slipped as he was walking on a steel beam and fell 8 17 feet to the floor. Still another, standing on a wall tightening bolts on a form, lost his balance and fell to the ground when his wrench slipped. The final accident in this group occurred as a carpenter was walking across a piece of plywood which was being used as a covering for a pit. TShen the ply wood tilted, the carpenter fell into the pit. The twelfth skull fracture occurred when a carpenter fell over debris on the ground outside a new building. His head struck a surveyor's stake. Brain concussions accounted for three deaths, in all of which falls were responsible. In one case, a carpenter fell from a roof. In another, the workman fell from a sawhorse and struck a pile of bricks. In the third ac cident, a carpenter, standing on a wall, was landing steel beams from a crane. After he removed the chains from one of the beams, the boom of the crane struck the beam which turned and knocked him from the wall. Four carpenters died as a result of strains. In three of these accidents death was actually the result of a heart attack induced by heavy lifting. In the fourth case, a carpenter suffered a hernia when he tried to move a dolly which had stopped and settled in a soft spot of the pavement. Three carpenters were electrocuted— one by a short circuit in a drill and two by direct contact with electric power transmission lines. Of the latter two accidents, one occurred when a carpenter touched a "live wire" as he was nailing sheeting to the gable of a house. In the other, a carpenter con tacted an 11 ,000-volt power line while he was using a hand line to lift ma terial to a scaffold. An apprentice carpenter was impaled on half-inch reinforcing steel. While he was woriclng from a plank which had been placed across two steel girders, the plank slipped and he fell 38 feet onto the steel. One fatal injury was due to heat prostration and another was attributed to an occupational dis ease contracted while the carpenter was working with creosoted lumber. Four seemingly minor injuries resulted in death. In one case, a workman tripped when his trousers caught on a board. He died 2 days later from in ternal injuries which he experienced while trying to maintain his balance. In the second accident, a carpenter fell into a hole and bruised his head and trunk. He returned to work but sometime later a malignant tumor developed which caused his death. Two workmen died as a result of infections of puncture wounds to hands. Splinters were responsible for both of these injuries. Six of the fatal injuries were general in nature. Falls from elevations accounted for four of these and traffic accidents for the other two. Of the falls, two were from scaffolds and two from roofs of buildings. 9 Permanent-Total Disabilities Three of the six permanent-total disability cases were back injuries and two were head injuries. The sixth was a multiple-fracture case. In this ac cident, a staging collapsed, crushing a caroenter in it. Two of the back injuries did not at first appear to be serious— one, a strain, occurred when a carpenter twisted his back as he trinped over a level; the other, a bruise, resulted when a workman was struck by a drift pin which fell on him. The third back injury, a severe fracture, was due to a fall from a scaffold. The two head injuries were a fractured skull and a brain concussion. In the first accident, a staging tipped, causing the carpenter to fall to the ground. In the second accident, a descending elevator cage struck the work man's head. Permanent-Partial Disabilities The 309 permanent-partial disabilities included 225 amputations, 5 enu cleations, and 79 cases involving the loss of use of a body part or function. Thumbs or fingers were involved in all but three of the amputations which were divided as follows: 3k Thumb.............. 1 finger............ li+8 2 fingers.......... 29 3 fingers.......... 6 fingers........... 3 Thumb and 1 finger.. 2 Great toe............ 1 1 toe (not great)... 2 Total............ 355" h Of the 222 finger and thumb amputations, 117 resulted from contact with powered saws and 81 with jointers. About half the injuries attributed to saws resulted from contact with portable electric saws. Shapers were responsible for two permanent finger injuries and four men were permanently disabled by hoisting equipment— two had their fingers caught in the buckets of cranes, one was caught on a chain, and another in a pulley. Two carpenters suffered finger amputations in connection with the use of motor vehicles. In one case, the workman tried to repair a truck and had his finger amputated by the fan. In the second instance, the vehicle fell from a jack as the carpenter was changing a tire. Hand tools produced six finger or thumb amputations; hatchets were re sponsible for three, hand saws for two, and a sledge for the other. Lumber 10 contributed to five amputations. Two men were disabled when timbers toppled over on their hands, one permitted a piece of lumber to slip from his hands and fall on his finger, one had his finger crushed tinder a timber as he was placing it into position, and another mashed his finger between a wall and a piece of lumber which he was passing to a co-worker. Three amputations were attributed to doors. In one case the door closed on a workman's finger as he was fitting it, and in another the spring on a garage door broke as an employee was hanging the door. His finger was caught and amputated by the door when it fell. In the third accident a carpenter inserted his finger in a small hole of a steel door to close it. As he did so, a sliver of steel punctured his finger. The wound became infected and the employee lost his finger. Another carpenter guided a steel pile into a casing and lost a finger when it was caught between the pile and the shell of the casing. In another case, a carpenter had a finger amputated when it was crushed by a plasterboard which was blown down by the wind. Of the three toe amputations, two resulted from contact with electrically powered hand saws. In the third case, the toe was crushed under a steel beam which toppled over. In one of the enucleation cases, a chip struck a carpenter's eye as he was pounding a piece of steel with a hammer. In the second case, an apprentice, holding a chisel which another workman was striking with a sledge, was struck by a chip which flew from the chisel. Another apprentice lost an eye when a fragment of a nail broke off and struck his eye as he was applying shingles. A carpenter foreman lost an eye when an abrasive wheel broke and a piece penetrated his eye. In the final case, a carpenter was applying baseboard. When his hammer slipped, it shattered the plaster and a chip struck his eye. Infection developed and the removal of the eye followed. Finger and thumb injuries were the most common of the permanent loss-ofuse cases, accounting for 26 of the 79 disabilities in that group. Eyes were involved in 18 loss-of-use cases, legs or feet in lii., backs in 7 , and arms or hands in 7. The 79 disabilities were classified by nature of injury as follows: Cuts, lacerations (mostly eye injuries).. Fractures....................... Bruises, contusions..................... Strains, sprains......................... Burns..................... Foreign bodies, n.e.c.......... 28 26 11 10 2 2 79 Moving objects inflicted 32 of the 79 permanent loss-of-use injuries. Falling objects (building materials, walls, boxes, etc.) produced seven, 11 including two injuries to legs, and injuries to a hand, a thumb, an eye, and a neck. In addition, an employee who was struck by a falling building-form, suffered permanent injuries to several parts of his body. Flying chips, nails, and other small particles, and thrown objects were responsible for 1 finger and 13 eye disabilities. Bight finger injuries and one eye injury were traced to blows by hand tools and two finger injuries were the result of workmen being struck by powered hand saws. Falls accounted for 20 permanent loss-of-use injuries. Of these, four foot injuries, four leg injuries, two arm injuries, and one back injury were due to falls from scaffolds. Other falls were responsible for nine permanent in juries, including three general body injuries, two arms, two feet, a finger, and an eye. Ten permanent disabilities resulted from workmen bumping into or striking against equipment and other objects. Moving parts of powered equipment ac counted for eight finger or thumb injuries and one hand injury. The other disability, an eye injury, occurred when a carpenter struck a nail which was projecting from a form. Six permanent finger or thumb injuries, a foot injury, and a back injury were due to workmen being caught in, on, or between moving objects. Hand tools accounted for two of these injuries and a motor vehicle, a form, a door, an excavation, a tool box, and a tree each accounted for one. Overexertion accidents were responsible for four permanent back injuries and a stumble was responsible for a leg injury. Lime burns accounted for an eye injury, a de layed explosion of dynamite accounted for an ear injury, and a simple body twist accounted for a permanent back injury. The final injury in this group, a general disability, occurred when a carpenter contacted a "live wire'1 as he was puddling concrete. Temporary-Total Disabilities Approximately 32 percent of all temporary-total disabilities were arm, hand, or finger injuries, 28 percent were trunk injuries, 26 percent were leg, foot, or toe injuries, and 10 percent were head injuries. The remainder were general in nature and involved more than one body Dart. Fingers were involved in about half of the arm, hand, and finger injuries; hands in one-third; and arms in one-sixth. Cuts, lacerations, and punctures were the most frequent type of injury in each group. Bruised arms and fingers, strained or sprained arms and hands, and fractured hands and fingers were also quite common. Arm, hand, and finger injuries most frequently occurred during hand-tool operations or during the handling of materials and equipment. Nearly two-thirds of all trunk injuries were strains; about one-tenth were hernias. Most of these injuries occurred while workmen were lifting or carry ing materials and were generally the result of overexertion. Back injuries predominated. 12 Foot injuries were primarily cuts, lacerations, strains, sprains, or fractures. Many of these occurred when workmen dropped material or equipment on their feet as they were lifting, carrying, or placing it. Foot strains or sprains occurred most commonly as a result of slips or stumbles while work men were moving from one place to another at the job site or as a result of their missteps as they were stepping to or from equipment. Leg injuries were primarily bruises, strains, cuts, or lacerations. Bruises generally resulted from carpenters striking themselves with their hand tools during hand-tool operations or being struck by objects which they dropped while they were lifting or carrying them. Strained or sprained legs were, for the most part, experienced during lifting or carrying operations. Cut and lacerated legs generally occurred during hand-tool operations, par ticularly those involving hatchets or powered hand saws. More than half the head injuries involved eyes. Most of these were minor foreign body cases, although approximately one-third of the eye injuries were cuts or lacerations. Hand-tool operations were the chief source of these in juries. Other head injuries were generally cuts, lacerations, bruises, or concussions. Accident Analysis Accident reports are frequently deficient in noting all factors relating to accidents. In many instances the only available information comes from the injured person himself, or from witnesses who merely happened to be present at the time and who lack either the skill or the opportunity to in vestigate the event fully. In the analysis of a large number of cases, there fore, it is common to find a high proportion which lack details, especially in respect to the causes of accidents. This was particularly true of the reports analyzed in this study inasmuch as they were prepared primarily to satisfy the reporting requirements of the various State workmen's compensa tion boards. In this type of reporting, injury information is stressed much more than accident details. Despite these limitations, however, the analyst can draw much useful in formation from even the most sketchy description. Almost invariably an ac cident description tends to follow the normal line of thinking on the part of an interested person who hears that a friend or acquaintance has been injured. The first thought is of the injury itself. Was it a burn, a cut, a bruise, a strain, or something else? Then, what produced the injury and how did it happen? These are all descriptive facts which are readily apparent to the witnesses. They, therefore, loom large in the accounts of the events. The more analytical question— why did it happen— normally arises only after the desire for descriptive information has been satisfied. It frequently goes unanswered, either because of preoccupation with the descriptive factors, or because the answer may not be readily apparent. 13 (Insert chart) Chart 1.— Major types of accidents in carpentry operations Chart 1. MAJOR TYPES OF ACCIDENTS IN CARPENTRY OPERATIONS O PERCENT OF ALL DISABLING INJURIES 10 Falls to lower levels Striking against objects Overexertion Falls on same level Slips and stumbles Caught in, on, or between objects Other l UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS 234999 0 - 5 3 20 13 0 The direct approach in accident analysis, therefore, is to draw from the records the various elements of information in the order in which they are usually recorded. Standing alone, these elements may have limited value, but when related to each other, they can do much to indicate the accidentDrevention activities which may be needed. The determination of the objects or substances which most commonly produce injuries, coupled with information as to how they oroduced the injuries, constitutes the first step toward an understanding of the accident problem. Manner of Injury (Accident Type) The most common variety of accident experienced by the carpenters covered in the survey was that in which the worker was struck by a moving object. More than a fourth of the reported injuries occurred in accidents of this na ture, in a high percentage of which the object striking the worker was a hand tool wielded by himself. Falling lumber also ranked high as a producer of injuries in this group of accidents. In many instances the lumber slipped from the worker's own hands and fell on his feet. Most commonly, however, the lumber fell from elevations, i. e., structural framework of buildings, forms, roofs, and scaffolds. Flying chips of wood, nails, and particles of stone, cement, plaster, or metal produced a large number of eye injuries. In most instances these flying objects were set in motion by hand tools used in cut ting, grinding, chipping, or hammering. About 20 percent of the recorded accidents were cases in which the workers fell from elevations. Another 7 percent were falls on the same level and about 5 percent were near-falls, generally designated as slips and stumbles. More than a third of the falls from elevations were falls from scaffolds or working platforms; a fourth were from ladders, stairs, or make-shift supports such as sawhorses; and another fourth were from structural elements such as forms, walls, or roofs. Slippery surfaces and tripping hazards were re sponsible for most of the near-falls and for most of the falls on the same level. In about 20 percent of the reported cases the injury was produced by the carpenter striking, bumping, or pressing against some object. In descending order of numerical importance, these accidents included cases of contact with the moving parts of machines and powered hand tools; stepping on objects which penetrated, cut, or bruised the feet; striking against splinters which penetrated the flesh; bumping into materials while moving about the work place; striking against projecting nails or wires, primarily in scrap lumber; and kneeling on or rubbing against sharp or rough objects. Overexertion in lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, or wielding objects was responsible for about 12+ percent of the reported injuries. These acci dents occurred primarily in lifting or carrying lumber or forms and in using hand tools such as axes, sledges, hammers, pry bars, and saws. In most in stances the injuries resulting from these accidents were strains or sprains. 15 Accident Causes A generally accepted tenet in accident prevention is that every accident may be traced to the existence of some hazardous condition in the working en vironment? to the commission of an unsafe act by some individual? or to a combination of these two accident-producing factors. Accident analysis con sists of identifying these factors in and summarizing the information relat ing to a number of accidents in order to indicate the kinds of hazards most commonly involved and which thereby warrant the most intensive attention by persons responsible for accident prevention. Generally, the elimination of hazardous working conditions is solely the responsibility of management. The avoidance of unsafe acts, on the other hand, requires understanding and cooperation by both management and workers. Management must take the lead, however, by providing safety-minded super vision and by making sure that all workers are acquainted with the hazards of their operations and are familiar with the means of overcoming them. The function of accident analysis is to sunply as much information as possible for use in accident prevention— not to assess blame for the oc currence of any accident. The practice, therefore, is not to choose between an unsafe act and a hazardous condition when both are factors in an accident, but rather to indicate both as contributing elements in the occurrence of the accident. Experience indicates that when all accident details are known both an unsafe act and a hazardous condition will be found to have been involved in the great majority of accidents. Moreover, it is usually evident that if either the unsafe act or the hazardous condition had been eliminated the ac cident probably would not have occurred. As pointed out previously, the materials available for analysis in this survey were primarily injury reports rather than detailed accident reports. They were almost invariably explicit in indicating the kind of accident which produced the injury, but many failed to indicate the circumstances leading to the accident. About one-third gave no indication of the existence or non existence of a hazardous condition and only one in five contained sufficient details to permit adequate conclusions regarding the commission of an unsafe act. In this analysis the distributions of hazardous conditions and of un safe acts have been based upon the reports which were complete in respect to these details and the incomplete reports have been listed as unclassified. These unclassified items should not be interpreted as representing cases in which no hazardous condition or unsafe act was involved. No conclusions can be drawn from the data as to the proportion of all carpenter accidents that can be ascribed solely to hazardous conditions or solely to unsafe acts. Hazardous Working Conditions Expressed in general terms, the hazardous conditions most commonly con tributing to carpenters' injuries were: defective agencies, responsible for 37 percent of the accidents? improperly guarded agencies, accounting for 22 16 percent; and the lack of proper equipment, associated with 20 percent of the accidents. Of somewhat lesser prominence, unsafe working procedures ac counted for 10 percent of the accidents, and poor housekeeping and the lack of necessary personal protective equipment were each responsible for percent. h Defective Agencies.— The most common hazard in the defective agency group consisted of projecting nails or wires in scrap lumber or in structural mem bers. In about two-thirds of the cases attributed to this hazard the injury occurred when the carpenter stepped on the projecting nail or wire. Most of the others were cases of striking against projecting nails or wires while placing materials in position. Materials of inadequate strength for the purpose used were responsible for nearly as many accidents as were projecting nails and wires. A high per centage of these were cases in which scaffolds, ladders, and forms collapsed under load because of defects in the materials used in their construction. Nails which broke and flew while being driven and hand tools or materials which shattered or spalled under impact to throw off chips or fragments were the sources of most other accidents in this group. Scaffolds, apparently composed of adequate materials but which gave way because they had been improperly designed or assembled, were responsible for a considerable volume of falls. Similarly, many carpenters fell when they placed their weight on forms or structural members which had been put in position but not adequately secured. Others, in somewhat fewer numbers, were struck by structural materials which fell because of inadequate nailing or assembly. Damaged lumber with sharp and splintery edges and slippery working sur faces were both prolific sources of accidents. The splinter injuries oc curred mostly in the course of handling the lumber. The slippery working surfaces occurred principally on the grounds around new structures or on sur faces which were exposed to the weather and resulted primarily in falls or near falls. Improperly Guarded Agencies.— The hazards in this group consisted pri marily of unguarded power equipment and inadequate provision of guard rails and toeboards on scaffolds or around openings in working surfaces. In most instances the unguarded machines were saws, although jointers, sanders, and also grinders were involved in many of these accidents. The great majority of the accidents attributed to the lack of guard rails were falls, two-thirds of which were from scaffolds or temporary working platforms. The remainder were falls into floor openings or into open trenches and excavations. The accidents which more adequate provision of toeboards would have prevented were all cases in which carpenters were struck by objects falling from scaffolds. 17 (insert chart) Chart 2.— Major types of hazardous working conditions CHART 2. MAJOR HAZARDOUS WORKING CONDITIONS IN CARPENTRY OPERATIONS PERCENT OF ALL DISABLING INJURIES 0 10 Defects of agencies Improperly guarded agencies Lac! of equipment Other UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS 20 30 40 “ l 18 Lack of Proper Equipment.— Two-thirds of the accidents attributed to this general type of hazard were lifting accidents in which carpenters experienced strains, sprains, or hernias while manually moving heavy materials without sufficient assistance. The remainder were primarily fails, about equally divided between falls from make-shift platforms used as substitutes for non existent scaffolds and falls resulting from climbing on forms or structural members where no ladders were available. Hazardous Working Procedures.— Working or walking on open joists or narrow structural members is quite common in construction work. Frequently it is tolerated or accepted as necessary simply because it seems impractical to lay planking over the joists or to build walkways for jobs of short duration. The risk which this entails, however, is obvious because nearly 6 percent of the reported accidents experienced by carpenters were attributed to these hazardous procedures. Nearly all the resulting accidents were falls— the majority being falls to lower levels. The practice of assigning work at different levels in open structures is also common in construction operations. In large measure this circumstance arises from the fact that the different crafts generally operate under separ* rate supervision and frequently have their tasks scheduled without particular consideration of what the other crafts may be doing at the same time. Workers on the lower levels are thereby directly exposed to the hazard of being struck by falling materials originating in the overhead operations. Acci dents of this type were not particularly common, but occurred in sufficient volume to warrant closer attention to the elimination of this hazard. Poor Housekeeping.— The designation "poor housekeeping" was applied in this analysis primarily to the tripping and stumbling hazards created by the accumulation of scrap and debris on working surfaces. This very common haz ard in construction was a prolific source of injury-producing accidents, particularly on the grounds around the structures being constructed. Lack of Personal Protective Equipment.— The use of personal protective equipment is not common in carpentry operations, although the record is re plete with cases in which it is obvious that the use of protective devices, such as safety shoes, impact goggles, gloves, safety hats, or knee pads, would have prevented or minimized injuries. Wider use of these devices is unquestionably desirable. In the great majority of cases, however, the use or nonuse of these devices has no bearing upon the occurrence of the accident itself. Therefore, because accident analysis is primarily concerned with determining the factors which led to the accident as contrasted with the in jury which resulted from the accident, the absence of personal protective de vices is seldom indicated as a hazardous working condition. There are, however, certain types of operations performed by carpenters which can be performed safely only through the use of proper protective equipment. Typical operations in this category include the use of power grinders to dress or sharpen tools and the breaking, chipping, drilling, or 19 hammering of concrete, plaster, stone, or metal. These operations frequently throw off fast-flying chips or particles which can inflict serious eye in juries unless the eyes are protected by a face shield or goggles. In erect ing scaffolds, forms, and structural members, carpenters are frequently called upon to work from precarious elevated positions. In these instances the use of life lines and safety belts are essential for the prevention of falls. Carpenters frequently find it necessary to work in a kneeling position and as a result experience a considerable number of cuts and abrasions on their knees from contact with rough surfaces. Knee pads probably would prevent most of these injuries. Most of the accidents ascribed to the lack of personal protective equipment in this analysis occurred in operations of the types described above. In about a third of the cases the deficiency was the lack of a safety belt or life line. These were the most serious cases consisting of falls from eleva tions. In nearly another third it was the lack of knee pads and in about a fifth of the cases the deficiency was the lack of goggles or face shields. The fact that steel-toed safety shoes would have prevented many toe injuries was recognized, but their nonuse was not considered an accident cause. Unsafe Acts. For the purpose of this analysis an unsafe act was defined as that viola tion of a commonly accepted safe procedure which occasioned or permitted the occurrence of the injury-producing accident. Literally, this definition means that no personal action should be designated as unsafe unless there was a reasonable and less hazardous alternative procedure. For example, the use of a ladder which was not equipped with safety shoes when no properly equipped ladder was provided was classified as a hazardous condition and not as an unsafe act. On the other hand, the use of a nail keg or other make shift platform as a working surface was classified as an unsafe act because other safe means of reaching overhead work were generally available. The analysis, however, does not imply that the alternative safe procedure was known to the person acting in an unsafe manner, nor that his act was the result of a considered choice between two possible procedures. It was ap parent in many instances that the individual knew the safe procedure but knowingly decided not to follow it. In other cases, circumstances indicated that the person acted unsafely simply because he did not know the alternative safe method. In broad categories, the unsafe acts most commonly found to be responsible for accidents to carpenters were: Assuming an unsafe position or posture, which occurred in 58 percent of the casesj using unsafe equipment or using equipment unsafely, which contributed to the occurrence of 25 percent of the accidentsj operating without authority, failure to secure or warn, associated with 11 percent of the accidents; and unsafe loading or placing, which was 20 responsible for 3 percent. Assuming an Unsafe Position or Posture.— In general, most of the unsafe acts in this group could be designated as inattention to surroundings. More specifically, in more than 60 percent of the cases in the group the unsafe act consisted of failure to observe the well-known safety admonition "watch your step." Because of the irregular surfaces and poor housekeeping condi tions so frequently, encountered in the areas where carpenters must work, close and constant attention to footing is a "must" for these workers. The number of missteps into openings or off the edges of scaffolds, platforms, and other elevated surfaces, and the number of trips or stumbles over mis placed materials which should have been quite visible indicates, however, that this precept is frequently forgotten. A large proportion of the inattention to footing accidents occurred while the workers were simply moving about the work site. Another large group oc curred while the workers were lifting or carrying materials. In the latter instances concentration on the work being performed probably was responsible for the inattention to footing. Cases were quite common in which falls re sulted from steeping on loose objects while getting down from ladders, de scending stairs, or stepping from one surface to another. Also in the category of inattention to surroundings, many of the reports indicated that the injured workers simply walked into piled materials, posts, or parts of the building in which they were working. Others swung their tools too widely or raised their heads too sharply while working in confined spaces and were injured when they struck against obstructions. The training of skilled workers usually includes instructions on how to ap ply the tools of the trade safely, particularly how to avoid contact with edge tools or impact tools if these slip or happen to be misdirected. Nevertheless there were many instances reported in which tools were used in such a manner that when they slipped or glanced from the material they were directed against the worker's body. Of somewhat similar character, a number of cases were re ported in which carpenters used their shoulders or other parts of their bodies to support lumber which they were nailing into place and then drove the nails through into their own flesh. Unnecessary exposure to falling or sliding objects was not a particularly common unsafe act, but occurred frequently enough to warrant some attention. In a number of these cases the injured person had placed himself under a heavy fixture or object to support it while it was being fastened in place. In other instances they unnecessarily entered areas where overhead work was being performed or where scrap materials were being dropped or thrown from overhead. Incorrect Handling or Unsafe Use of Equipment.— Reflecting the preponder ance of manual operations in carpenter work, a large proportion of the acci dents were directly related to improper methods of handling tools or materials. In many instances workers dropped objects on their own toes or set objects 21 (Insert chart) Chart 3 — Major types of unsafe acts in carpentry operations 3. MAJOR TYPES OF UNSAFE ACTS IN CARPENTRY OPERATIONS PERCENT OF ALL DISABLING INJURIES 0 10 20 Inattention to footing Gripping objects insecurely Inattention to surroundings Operating without authority*, failure to secure or warn Exposure to moving objects Taking wrong hold of objects Unsafe loading or placing Other UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS 234999 0 - 5 3 - 4 30 40 22 down on their fingers simply because they had not taken or maintained a oroper grip on the materials. In other instances workers were struck by their own hand tools because they were not holding them properly to keep them under control. In some cases the fault lay in attempting to lift objects which were too heavy or bulky for one man to handle or in using one hand instead of two. The misuse or abuse of tools was also a common source of injury. These un safe practices included procedures such as striking hatchets or hammers with other metal tools, which caused metal chips to fly and inflict eye injuries; using hatchets or wood chisels as pry bars; and using tools of incorrect size or capacity. Failure to Secure or Warn, Operating Without Authority.— The predominating unsafe act in this group was that of placing materials in positions from which they could fall and leaving them without adequate support. This oc curred most frequently in the course of fitting lumber, forms, doors, sash, cabinets, and other millwork. Typically, these were cases in which the cabi nets or other objects had been put in final position, but were supported only by wedges or temporary fastenings pending completion of the fitting job. Such fastenings frequently were inadequate to hold the weight and the improperly supported objects pulled away and fell on the worker In the category of operating without authority, the most common unsafe act was that of carpenters attempting to operate vehicles or power equipment, such as bulldozers or hoists, with which they were not familiar. In most instances this occurred when the regular operator happened to be unavailable, and rather than delay his own work waiting for the operator the carpenter elected to move or use the equipment himself. Unsafe Loading or Placing.— Most commonly the accidents resulting from unsafe acts of this general variety resulted in injury to persons other than those who committed the unsafe acts. Generally, the specific unsafe act con sisted of placing a tool or piece of material on an unstable surface, on a sloping surface such as a pitched roof, or close to the edge of an elevated surface from which it could fall or slide to strike someone below. Miscellaneous Unsafe Acts.— -This group included a wide variety of unsafe acts no one of which occurred in great numbers. The most common were: throw ing material instead of passing it or using a hand line; fighting; teasing or startling other workers; jumping from elevations instead of climbing down; and climbing on structural members or scaffold supports instead of using available ladders to reach elevated surfaces. 23 Accident-Prevention Suggestions To illustrate the general hazards encountered by carpenters, a number of typical accidents were selected for special analysis. These accidents were . analyzed by a member of the Division of Safety Standards in the Bureau of La bor Standards of the United States Department of Labor and suggestions were made to indicate how they might have been prevented. The purpose of this portion of the report is not to make all-inclusive recommendations, nor to propound authoritative safety rules, but rather to point out that there is a simple approach to the prevention of nearly every accident. Many safety engineers, no doubt, would attack the problems involved in these accidents in different ways and would achieve equally good results. The method of prevention, however, is of little importance as long as it ac complishes its purpose. Brief descriptions of the accidents with comments and recommendations of the Bureau of Labor Standards' safety specialist are presented on the follow ing pages: Case Descriptions and Recommendations 1. A carpenter was using a portable electric saw. The blade caught his overalls, which pulled the saw against his leg. Investigation disclosed that the saw was not guarded. All powered saws should be adequately guarded. The proper type of guard for a portable saw completely encloses all of the blade not actually in the cut. 2. A carpenter was using a portable electric saw to cut wedges. of wood kicked back and lacerated his left thumb. A piece A portable saw should never be used for cutting wedges. In stead, a fixed saw with suitable guides and jigs should be used. 3. A carpenter was using a portable electric saw. When the guard failed to close quickly, the blade lacerated his leg. Investigation disclosed that the guard was clogged with sawdust. To be effective, guards of this type must be kept clean and in good working order. Inspection of all equipment should be made frequently and at regular intervals. Defective or unsafe equip ment should be repaired or corrected immediately or removed from service. 2k k» A carpenter was using a portable electric saw to cut rafters. While standing on wet ground, he picked up the saw and suffered an electric shock. Investigation disclosed that the saw had not been grounded. All portable electric-powered tools should be adequately grounded. In addition, they should be inspected periodically to insure safe operating conditions. 5. A carpenter picked up a portable electric saw and tripped over the cord, accidentally closing the switch. He became excited and dropped the saw, which struck his leg. Investigation disclosed that the saw was not guarded. (a) Portable electric saws should be adequately guarded to prevent accidental contact with the blade. (b) Workmen should be carefully trained in the safe use of all tools. In tnis case, he should have placed the saw in a position where it would not present a tripping hazard when it was not being used. 6. An employee was cutting a 2" x 6" rafter with a portable electric cir cular saw. When he had finished his cut, he shut off the power and dropped his hand with the saw to his side. The still-moving blade cut a deep gash in his leg. Investigation disclosed that the guard had been removed from the saw several days before and had not been replaced. Employees should not be permitted to use any equipment with out the safeguards which have been provided. Adequate super vision should be maintained to enforce this rule. 7. While a helper was breaking concrete with a hammer and chisel, a piece of concrete lodged in his eye. Investigation disclosed that no goggles or other eye protective devices were provided. Suitable eye protection should be provided for this work. Although goggles will protect the eyes, face shields with or without goggles are more desirable. 8. A carpenter was standing on a sawhorse platform installing rock lath on the ceiling. A particle fell from the lath and lodged in his eye. The em ployee failed to have the particle removed and infection developed. (a) Eye protection should be provided and worn on all ceiling and other overhead jobs. (b) Particles which have become lodged in workmen's eyes should be removed as soon as possible, but only by a physician or other qualified person. 25 9. An employee was using a chisel to cut a bolt. As he struck the chisel, a piece of steel chipped from the head of the chisel and punctured his arm. Investigation disclosed that the head of the chisel was mushroomed. Maintaining tools in good condition at all times is im portant in accident prevention. Workmen should be trained to remove defective tools from service until they are re paired or corrected. 10. A carpenter was driving a stake with a sledge. the sledge struck his foot. When the stake split, All workmen should be carefully trained in the safe use of hand tools. In this case, the carpenter should have placed himself in a position so that when the stake split he would not have been struck by the sledge. 11. An apprentice was holding a stake while it was being driven into the ground by a co-worker. The second employee missed the stake and struck the apprentice’s hand. Close teamwork and adequate instruction will prevent many accidents of this type. The best practice suggests the use of tongs to hold the stake. 12. A carpenter was installing wall brackets. When one of the brackets slipped, the screw driver he was using punctured his left hand. All employees should be carefully trained in the safe per formance of their duties. In this case, the carpenter should have placed his left hand in a position so that it would not have been struck by the screw driver when it was misdirected. 13. A wharf builder was using an adz to shape a post. the post and struck his foot. The adz slipped from The adz is a highly dangerous tool. Careful training in safe procedures is essential to prevent accidents of this type. In this case, the workman should have stood in a position so that he would not have been struck by the adz when it glanced from the post. li).. An apprentice was cutting rock lath with a pocket knife. closed and caught his finger. The blade Apprentices should be carefully instructed in the safe performance of their duties. A spring-blade knife should never be used in this work. Instead, a one-piece knife, properly guarded, should be used. 26 15* A helper was drilling holes in an overhead angle iron. of steel fell into his eye. Snail particles Employees engaged in this work should be furnished pro tective goggles, and should be required to wear them. 16. A carpenter was using a pair of pliers to remove a nail. When the nail loosened suddenly, the force applied to the pliers threw the nail, which struck the carpenter's eye. Thorough instruction in the safe method of using hand tools should be a part of the training given every carpenter. Pliers are not intended for use in removing nails. Instead, a claw hammer or a nail puller should be used. 17. A carpenter was using a hatchet to shape a piece of lumber. The hatchet glanced from the lumber and cut his leg. Investigation disclosed that the hatchet was dull. All workmen should be carefully trained in the safe use of hand tools. In this case the carpenter should have (a) placed himself in such a position that he would not have been struck by the hatchet when it glanced from the lumber, and (b) removed the hatchet from service until it had been properly dressed. x 18. An employee was cutting a 2" with a hand saw. As he started a U5-degree cut, the saw slipped and cut his thumb. Investigation disclosed that the carpenter did not start the cut carefully because of haste. (a) Carpenters should develop safe working habits in using hand tools. In this case the workman should have drawn the saw slowly and carefully across the board until the cut was started. (b) Wherever possible, a miter box should be used when sawing at an angle. 19. A carpenter was using a wrecking bar to pry a board. He did not secure a good "bite" on the board and the bar slipped when pressure was applied, smashing his fingers between the bar and the board. Workmen should be carefully trained in the safe use of hand tools. In this case, full pressure should not have been applied to the bar until the proper "bite" had been secured. A proper stance might have prevented the injury even though the bar slipped. 27 20. A carpenter was standing on a ladder removing forms from a concrete column. When the bar he was using slipped, he was thrown off balance and fell to the ground. The injured worker stated that he could not get a good "bite1* with the bar. The carpenter’s difficulty in getting the proper "bite” with the bar was probably due to his limited position on the ladder. Portable steps or platforms should be provided to give more secure footing. 21. A carpenter was placing tie wires on a form. wire it flew up and the end struck him in the eye. As he cut a piece of For this type of work plastic face shields or goggles are necessary. When cutting wire the worker should stand to the left of the cut and should hold the wire with his left hand. The free end of the wire will then spring away from him. 22. A carpenter was constructing an archway in an old building. While he was removing the plaster and lath, sane particles of plaster lodged in his eyes. Goggles or face shields should be provided and worn in this work. 23. As a carpenter was climbing a ladder, a rung broke and he fell to the ground. Investigation disclosed that the rung had broken through a knot. Ladder rungs should be manufactured from knot-free lumber. In this case, an equipment-inspection procedure should have revealed the defect. 2l+« While a carpenter was descending a fixed ladder, his foot slipped be tween the rungs of the ladder. Investigation disclosed that the rungs of the ladder were covered with ice. Under weather conditions where ice may be present, all fixed ladders should be carefully inspected and all ice removed before the ladders are used. 25. A carpenter tried to carry a piece of lumber up a ladder. balance and fell to the ground. He lost his Employees, climbing ladders, should never attemot to carry lumber or other materials. The material should be passed from one employee to another, or it should be raised by a hand line or by mechanical lifting equipment. 28 26. A workman was using a ladder to climb a scaffold. When the ladder slipped he fell against a brace on the scaffold. Investigation disclosed that the ladder was not equipped with safety shoes and that the base of the ladder had been placed too far away from the scaffold. (a) Ladders which are not anchored should be equipped with safety feet. (b) Workmen should be carefully trained in the safe use of ladders. Generally, ladders should not be placed more than one foot away from the verticle line of support for every U feet of height to the support. 27. While a carpenter was grinding the cutting edge of his hatchet, a par ticle of steel lodged in his eye. Investigation disclosed that the grinder was equipped with a shield but that no goggles or other eye protective de vices were available to him. Sane form of eye protection is desirable in nearly all construction work. In grinding operations, such protection is essential. Either goggles or a face shield would have prevented this injury. 28. A carpenter had his thumb amputated in a joiner when the board he was cutting turned and his thumb struck the cutter. Investigation disclosed that the point-of-operation was not guarded. The point-of-operation of a joiner should be guarded, preferably by a guard which will ride on top of the stock. 29. While a carpenter was using a circular saw, his hand struck the moving saw blade when he attempted to brush some small pieces of wood from the table. Investigation disclosed that the saw blade was not guarded. (a) Circular saws should be equipped with a hood-type guard. (b) Workmen using circular saws should be carefully trained in their safe use. A suitable brush should be used to clean the saw table. 30. While a carpenter was cutting a plank on a circular saw, a piece of sawdust lodged in his eye. Some type of eye protection should be worn on this work. A face shield is preferable for operators of circular saws or other woodworking machines where sawdust or chips are likely to be thrown from the operation. However, for men who perform various types of work, goggles are desirable. Generally, the spectacle type will suffice. 29 31. A carpenter was adjusting the guide on a circular saw while the saw was running. His hand touched the blade, which amputated a finger. (a) All circular saws should be equipped with a hoodtype guard to prevent accidental contact with the blade. (b) Adjustments or repairs should never be made on equipment while it is in operation. 32. A roofing contractor was hoisting material to the roof of a building with block and tackle and had roped off the area beneath the tackle. A car penter dropped his hammer into the roped-off area and entered the area to get it. As he did so, a hammer fell from a bucket being hoisted to the roof and struck him on the head. (a) Roped-off areas should be entered only after an ex change of signals whereby the hazardous operation would be interrupted. (b) Construction workers should wear safety hats while they are on the job. 33• While working on a scaffold, a carpenter slipped and fell, thereby in juring his back. Investigation disclosed that spots of ice had formed on the surface of the scaffold. Scaffolds should be inspected frequently to insure safe condition. Where ice may be present, scaffolds should be inspected before they are used and all ice should be removed or sanded. 3i*. An employee was standing on a scaffold. One of the scaffold boards broke, throwing the workman to the ground. Investigation disclosed that the 2" x 10" plank split through a large knot. All lumber used in scaffolds should be inspected before being used and only lumber which is free of large knots should be used for platform planks. 35. A carpenter was working on a scaffold nailing siding to a new building. A second carpenter, working on the roof, dropped his hammer, which struck the first workman on the head. (a) Whenever practical, work assignments should be planned to avoid anyone having to work in unprotected areas when other operations are being performed overhead. In this case, one of the operations should have been delayed until the other was complete. 30 (b) All construction workers should wear safety hats while on the job. 36 . The scaffold on which a carpenter was working collapsed and he fell to the ground. Investigation disclosed that the scaffold had not been designed to carry the weight imposed upon it. Scaffolds should be carefully designed for the maximum expected loads, which should not be exceeded. 37. As an apprentice was nailing^bne end of a 2" x 12” plank to a post, the other end jarred loose and fell. To avoid being hit, the apprentice stepped back and fell from the unguarded scaffold upon which he was working. (a) Scaffolds should be constructed with guardrails and toeboards. (b) Sufficient help and adequate supervision should be provided for all operations. In this case, a second workman should have been assigned to hold one end of the plank. 38. Two carpenters were working from an unrailed scaffold. To startle his co-worker, one employee shook the scaffold. The second workman fell from the scaffold. (a) All scaffolds should be adequately guarded with a rail and toeboard. (b) Horseplay should be prohibited. Sufficient supervision should be provided to assure the enforcement of this rule. 39* The middle plank of a three-plank scaffold slipped and the workman standing on it fell to the floor. Investigation disclosed that the platform planks had not been nailed. All platform planks should be securely fastened to pre vent their slipping or turning. h 0. A carpenter was standing on a bracket scaffold which collapsed and threw him to the ground. Investigation disclosed that the metal bracket hold ing the scaffold had been nailed to a soft white pine studding and that the traffic on the scaffold had loosened the nails. Brackets used in scaffolds should be bolted in accordance with the American Safety Standard A 10.2 - 19l4i> Safety Code for Building Construction. 31 2*1. A carpenter who had been working on a scaffold attempted to climb down the scaffold because there was no ladder available. The scaffold lumber was wet and when his foot slipped, he fell to the ground. Every scaffold assembly should include a ladder or some other means of safe access. 2*2. A carpenter laid his hammer on a scaffold. Later, when he accident ally kicked it, the hammer fell, striking a second carpenter working under the scaffold. Investigation disclosed that the scaffold did not have a toeboard. (a) All scaffolds should be equipped with toeboards. (b) Whenever practical, work assignments should be planned to avoid anyone having to work in unprotected areas when other operations are being performed overhead. In this case, one of the operations should have been delayed until the other was completed. (c) All workmen should be thoroughly trained to work safely. In this instance, the carpenter should not have placed his ham mer where he was likely to strike it with his foot. 2*3• A carpenter stepped from a sawhorse platform 18 inches high onto a block of wood and twisted his ankle. Investigation disclosed that the floor was littered with discarded scraps of lumber. (a) Good housekeeping is essential to safety. Before starting work, the supervisor of the crew should make sure that all working surfaces are cleared of loose materials. (b) Portable steps or platforms with steps are preferable to sawhorse platforms for this type of work. 2*2*. A carpenter stood on a sawhorse, slipped, and fell astride it. Sawhorses should never be used as working surfaces. In stead, portable steps or a platform should be provided and used for this type of work. 2*5. A carpenter stood on a sawhorse, stepped off, and twisted his back. Investigation disclosed the sawhorse to be 18 inches high. Sawhorses should not be used as working surfaces. Instead, portable steps or a platform should be provided and used for this type of work. 32 1+6. A carpenter stood on a nail keg, looked up toward his work, tipped the keg, and fell to the floor. Nail kegs should never be used as working surfaces. Portable steps or stools so designed that they will not tip should be provided. 1+7. A carpenter was standing on the floor joists while he was nailing a walkway into place. His foot slipped and he fell, straddling a joist. Workmen should be carefully trained in the safe per formance of their duties. In this case, the workman should have nailed the walkway from the walkway itself. If that was not practical, he should have laid a plank across the joists to provide suitable footing. 1+8. A helper was carrying a sheet of plywood 1+' x 8' x 3/8". His vision was blocked by the plywood and he stepped into an opening in the floor and fell. Investigation disclosed that the opening had been made for a hot-air duct. (a) All floor openings in buildings under construction should be adequately guarded with railings and toeboards or should be covered with planks. (b) In handling heavy or large objects, two or more work men should be assigned to the operation. 1+9. A carpenter, working on the second floor of a new house, fell to the basement through an open stair well. All floor openings should be adequately guarded with railings and toeboards or should be covered with planks. 50. While carrying a piece of lumber, a carpenter fell to the basement through an unguarded chimney hole. All floor openings in buildings under construction should be guarded by guard rails and toeboards or covered with planks. 51. A carpenter working on a roof stepped on some wet sap, slipped, and fell off. Investigation disclosed that the contractor had thought a scaffold unnecessary because the pitch of the roof was slight. Level walkways should be provided for all roof work regardless of the slope of the roof. 33 52. As a carpenter was setting forms, his foot slipped and he fell against a form, fracturing his rib. Investigation disclosed that the ground was muddy, very slippery, and had a considerable slope. Before any work is started, safe footing should be provided. This not only reduces the hazard of the work but increases the rate of production. 53* A carpenter was standing on the wall of a foundation setting the first floor joists. As he reached to pick up a joist, he lost his balance and fell from the wall to the ground. Investigation disclosed that the wall was 6 feet high and that no scaffold had been provided. Foundation walls should not be used as working surfaces. Instead a scaffold or a portable railed platform should be provided. 5U« A carpenter was building forms for a concrete bridge. While he was walking on a plank which had been placed between an earthen bank and the bridge footing, the plank turned and he fell, striking the concrete footing. Investigation disclosed that the 10-inch plank had been laid as a walkway over uneven ground. Provision should be made for safe access to all jobs. In this case, the plank should have been secured so that it would not turn. In addition, elevated walkways should be constructed of two or more planks, cleated together. 55. A helper was carrying a door up a stairway, slipped on a 2" x ^ block, and turned his ankle. When he fell, the door mashed his fingers against the stairway. Good housekeeping is essential to safety. Each crew should be required to remove its own scrap. Periodic in spections and adequate supervision should be maintained to enforce this rule. Particular attention should be given to keeping stairs free of loose objects. 56. A carpenter was working on the first floor of a new building while other carpenters were placing joists on the second floor. One of the joists fell, striking the carpenter across his back. Whenever practical, work assignments should be planned to avoid anyone having to work in unprotected areas when other operations are being performed overhead. In this case, one of the operations should have been delayed until the other one was completed. 3k 57. Two carpenters were working on different floors of a new building. The workman on the second floor asked the other workman to throw a chalk box to him. When the first employee failed to catch the box, it fell, striking the second workman on the head. Materials and other articles should never be thrown. In this case, the chalk box should have been raised on a hand line. 58. A carpenter's helper was moving a large exhaust fan. A piece of bar steel, leaning against a wall, fell and struck him on the head. Investigation disclosed that the steel had been left by ironworkers who had recently com pleted a contract on the job and that the helper's foot struck the bar as he was moving the fan. (a) The ironworkers' foreman should have checked the premises to make sure that his crew removed all their ma terials and scrap before leaving the ^ob. (b) The carpenter foreman also should, have checked the area to see that it was clear for his crew and should have had the bar removed. (c) The helper himself also should have inspected the area before starting his work in order to spot any possible hazards. 59. A carpenter was dismantling a scaffold and was tossing each piece onto a pile. As he threw a board, a projecting nail scraped his hand. (a) Nail wounds are a serious hazard in work of this kind. If the lumber is to be reused, all nails should be drawn as each piece is removed. If the lumber is to be discarded, the nails may be bent into the wood. (b) Gloves should be worn on work of this type. 60. When an apprentice attempted to pull a 2" x ii" from a loose pile of used lumber, the pile shifted and fell against him. Lumber should be piled in an orderly and stable manner. This not only will reduce the hazard of handling the ma terial but also will save time when it must be moved. 61. A carpenter, carrying a plank, stumbled over a piece of lumber. In trying to regain his balance he stepped on a nail projecting from a piece of scrap lumber. 35 (a) Good housekeeping is essential for safety. Before starting work, the supervisor of the crew should make sure that all working surfaces are cleared of loose materials and other tripping hazards. In addition, all working crews should be required to remove their own scrap. (b) It should be standard procedure on all jobs that nails in scrap lumber must be drawn or bent into the wood before any Diece is discarded. 62. In walking from one end of a building to the other, a carpenter walked across the open floor joists. As he stepped on one, the nails pulled loose and it turned. The carpenter fell, injuring his back. Investigation dis closed that the joists had just been placed into Dosition and that no walkway had been provided. Workmen should not be permitted to walk across joists. A railed walkway should be provided. 63. A carpenter was nailing rafters. As he struck a nail, it flew back, striking him in the eye. The employee lost the vision of the eye. (a) Workmen should start nails carefully by striking them squarely but lightly until they have penetrated the lumber to a depth sufficient to be held securely. (b) Goggles or other eye protection should be worn on work involving the driving of nails. ). 64 A carpenter, installing mineral wool insulation, developed an infection on his hands from contact with the mineral wool. Gloves should be worn in work of this nature. 65. While an apprentice was using the freight elevator, his foot was crushed between the elevator cage and a landing. Investigation disclosed that he was standing hear the front of the elevator because of the heavy load being carried and that the door of the cage did not extend to the floor. According to the American Standard Safety Code for Elevators, Dumbwaiters, and Escalators, Z17.1 - 1937, car gates or doors for freight elevators should guard the full opening, except that they need not be more than 6 feet high. 66. While a carpenter was handling rough framing, a splinter penetrated his finger. Infection developed when he failed to have the splinter removed. In vestigation disclosed that no first-aid facilities were available. 36 (a) Employees who are required to handle rough lumber should be furnished, and required to wear, suitable gloves. (b) First-aid facilities should be available on every job. a 67. A carpenter was nailing rafters. As he attempted to drive a nail, rafter slipped off the plate. In replacing the rafter, he strained his arm. Foremen should make sure that adequate help is provided for all operations. In this work, a second employee should be assigned to hold the rafter while it is being nailed. In addition, whenever it is necessary to place heavy rafters by hand, two or more men should be assigned to that work. 68. In placing a lU-foot 211 x 10" joist on the plate, a carpenter's finger was crushed between the joist and the plate. Thorough instruction in the safe handling of materials should be a part of the training given every carpenter. ‘In this case, the workman should have grasped the joist so that, when he set it down, his fingers would not be crushed. 69 . A block and tackle was being used to raise lumber to the roof of a building. The cable broke and the lumber fell, striking a carpenter. In vestigation disclosed that the cable was badly frayed. Cables should be inspected frequently on a regular schedule. Frayed cables should be removed from service immediately. 70. A scaffold builder and a helper were lifting a 12-foot 2" x 12" to a scaffold. The carpenter strained his shoulder. Investigation disclosed that the workmen had tried to lift the plank to a level 7 feet above the ground. This accident illustrates the importance of proper training and good teamwork in handling lumber. Overhead lifting is likely to cause injury if the proper methods are not used, but trained men can do such work without injury. 71. A carpenter was working from a ladder which was standing on soft ground. The ladder tilted as one foot sank into the ground and the carpenter jumped, fracturing his foot as he struck the ground. (a) If the ladder had been equipped with safety feet, this accident might not have happened. (b) If the ladder had been secured at the top, the accident might have been avoided. 37 (c) If the carpenter had checked the footing of the ladder -when he put it in place or had tested its stability before climbing above the first rung, he probably would have discovered the hazard before he was in a position to be in jured. 72. A helper on the ground was handing 8-foot 2 x l+'s to a carpenter on a scaffold. He released one of the pieces before the carpenter had obtained a good grip on it and it fell on his head. This was a case of poor teamwork. Coordination of effort is essential for safety whenever two or more per sons are working together. One person in the team should signal each move and the others should carefully follow his instructions. In this instance, the carpenter should have called the moves, because he alone could tell when he had control of the material which was being handed to him. 73• An apprentice was using an electric table saw. When the belt slipped from the pulley, he attempted to replace it with his foot. The belt caught his foot, twisting it. This case involved a number of unsafe conditions and unsafe acts: (a) Either the pulley or the belt was defective, other wise the belt would not have slipped off. An adequate equip ment inspection program should have revealed this defect and permitted its correction before it caused an accident. (b) All belt drives should be guarded. (e) No one should attempt to adjust or replace a drive belt until the power has been cut off and the equipment has come to a complete stop. This rule should be one of the first things taught to an apprentice. (d) The apprentice should not have used his foot to replace the belt. If the belt was too heavy to place by hand, he should have used a bar. 7k. A carpenter was removing forms from a concrete foundation wall. bank on which he was standing caved in and he fell against the wall. Safe footing should be provided for all operations. In this case, the bank should have been properly sloped or shored. The 38 APPENDIX: STATISTICAL TABLES Table 1 - Nature of Disabling Injuries and Parts of Body Injured by Occupation Nature of injury and cart of body injured Journeymen Apprentices Helpers Superintendents, f oremen Number PercentV Number 13ercentl/ Number 13ercentl/ Number 13ercentl/ 100.0 582 100.0 355 100.0 268 100.0 193 1,550 36 35 2,181 254 1,067 142 29 2,231 76 62 2.5 19.9 .5 .4 28.0 3.3 13.7 1.8 •4 28.5 1.0 - 15 115 4 2123 32 46 6 5 1316 7 2.6 20.0 .7 .5 36.9 5.6 8.0 1.0 22.8.9 1 .0 “ 6 1.7 88 24.9 .8 31 .3 128 36.1 6 1.7 36 10.2 5 1 1.4.3 77 2 1 .8.8 31 - 16 50 -2 58 429 6 3 78 31 779 426 128 225 2,195 471 1,156 199 88 248 33 2,557 405 753 1,399 1,941 823 972 146 317 67 10.0 5 .5 1.6 2.9 28.2 6.0 14.9 2.6 1.1 3.2 •4 72 47 14 11 99 15 49 7 6 17 5 222 28 70 124 160 52 91 17 20 9 12.6 8.3 2.4 1.9 17.3 2.6 8.6 1.2 1.0 3.0 .9 38.7 4«9 12.2 21.6 27.9 9.1 15.8 3.0 3.5 - 32 16 8 8 91 21 47 9 4 9 1 108 22 33 53 111 37 68 6 12 1 25 9.4 12 4.5 7 2.6 6 2.3 76 28.6 12 4.5 40 15.1 8 3.0 1.1 113 4.1 2 .8 86 32.3 17 20 67.5.4 49 18.4 65 24.4 35 13.1 25 9.4 5 1.9 14 5.3 2 - Total •........................... ••••••••••• 7,856 Nature of injury Anroutations, enucleations............... Bruises, contusions........................ Burns, scalds.................................. Chemical burns................................. Cuts, lacerations, Dunctures.......... Foreign bodies, N.E.C..................... Fractures................................... . Hernias.............................. . Industrial diseases.......... .............. Strains, sorains......................... Other................................................ Unclassified; insufficient data.... 6.0 18.7 .721.8 3.4 15.7 2.2 1.1 29.3 1.1 - ^art of body injured Head................................................. Eye................................................ Brain or skull............................ Other........................................... Trunk................................................ Chest, lungs, ribs, etc.............. Back............................................... Abdomen.................................... Hips or pelvis.............................. Shoulder....................................... Other..................................... Upper extremities............................ Arm.............................................. Hand....................... ...................... Finger......................... . Lower extremities.......... . Leg................................................ Foot......................................... . Toe...................................... Body, general................................ . Unclassified; insufficient data.... 1/ Percents are based on classified cases only. 5.2 9.7 17.9 24.9 10.6 12.4 1.9 4.1 3 2 .8 9.0 4.4 2.3 2.3 25.7 5.9 13.4 2.5 1.1 2.5 .3 30.5 6 .2 9.3 15.0 31.4 10.5 19.2 1.7 3.4 - Table 2 - Nature of Disabling Injuries by Part of Body Injured Part of body injured T otal .............. ..................... Head................................•*••• Eye......... ....................• ••*. Brain or s k u ll•••♦ ••••• Total number of injuries 9.061 906 501 157 250 Trunk.*................................ . Chest, lungs, rib s, eto. Back....................................... Abdomen .......................... .. Hips or p e lv is ...* ......... Other ................................ .. Upper extrem ities••* ••••• Hand*•••••••••••••••*•• Finger .............................. . Lower extrem ities . • ........... I*g.............................. Foot.......................... .. Toe. .............. ............ Body, general .................. U nclassified; in su fficien t data. .......................... , 2 1*61 519 1,292 223 101 285 1*1 2,973 1*72 876 1,625 2,277 9k7 1,156 17h 363 79 Ampu tations and enucle ations 230 5 -5 _ - - 222 Bruises and contu sions Bums and scalds Chemical burns 1,803 163 32 62 69 1*5 39 6 2 26 386 2 169 96 19 33 51 18 i*o - k - - 2 23 5 - 116 222 250 16 2 3 - 600 8 3 - 7h 377 155 68 213 1 k k - 6 25- 1 • - • - 7 2 1* 1 3 3 3 Cuts, lacer ations, and punc tures 2,579 299 117 65 117 3l* 1k 2 3 6 1* 5 1,620 Foreign bodies, H.S.C. 301 301 300 • 1 • - • - 131* 521 965 -- 600 - 196 396 8 22 1* Frac tures 1.191 50 3° 20 360 251 1*7 27 25 10 361* 98 113 153 388 90 209 89 29 Indus Hernias tr ia l diseases Strains and sprain 8 159 38 - 2 1 2.517 31* 159- - 71 2 20 16 2 1 32 1 1 1,508 78 1,H*7 38 35 203 7 283 113 H*1 29 10 m - -. 3 3 665 _ 1 2 2 - 8 1 • - • - Other 88 -• - 159 Unclas sified ; insuf ficien t data . • + 5 k 1 3 - m m 3 1 1 1 2 1 271 390 1 2 1 1 * 3 22 18 50 - 1 9 1 63 5 2 - 1* - 1 1 1 Table 5 - Nature of D isabling Injuries by A ctivity of Injured Fature of injury Amputations, en u cleation s* * **.......... B ruises, contusions*.............................. Burns, s c a ld s .• • • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chemical burns Cuts, lacera tio n s, punctures Foreign bodies, N.E.C***............ Fractures .................................. .................... H ernias*.. ................................*.................. Industrial d isea se s........................... .. Strains, sprains* ......................... .... O ther...................................... Unclassified; in su ffic ie n t d ata..** Total number of in ju ries 9,061 230 1,803 U5 39 2,579 301 1,191 159 38 2,517 88 71 liftin g , carrying, or placing 2,059 7 275 h 8 331 h 176 123 5 1,110 k 12 Using hand tools Using powered tools 1.531 10 363 7 h 659 98 158 5 2 219 1 5 ,m 203 35 8 1 598 83 50 1 0 - 1 50 11 1 Walking Stepping to or from equipment Climbing to or from equipment U89 227 208 - - - 35 Uk - - 92 1 « 186 - 66 - 133 2 5 26 32 2 132 - 19 - Running or jumping Ul - 8 8 - h 6 2 - - US 93 23 - - 2 Other a c tiv itie s 157 2 28 9 U 29 - 38 5 2 31+ 3 3 Unclas sifie d ; in su f fic ie n t data 3.306 8 923 16 22 723 116 619 18 28 723 67 U3 Table U - Parts of Body Injured by A ctiv ity of Injured. P art of body injured T otal*. ................................................. Head*. • ...................*............. Eye.................................................................. Brain or sk u ll* ................................... O th er................................................* .* •• Trunk................... • . • • • • • • • • • • • • « • • • • C hest, lun gs, r ib s , e t c * ................. Back.......... •••• ............. ••••••••••••• Hips or p e lv is * . *••••••••••••••• Shoulder •••••••••••••«••••*••••• Other............................... ••••••••••••• Upper e x tr e m itie s ••••••••••••••••• Arm................... ••••• .................................. Hand......................... ••••••••*••••••• F in ger. .............. . Lower extre mit ie s« • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Leg.................................................................. Foot*.. • • • • * • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • « • • • • Toe............................................................... Body, gen eral*. U n c la ssifie d ; in s u ffic ie n t data*** Total L iftin g , number carrying, of in ju r ies or placing 9.061 2.059 1,531 63 10 17 36 269 211 15 1+3 189 U2. 108 8 908 501 157 250 519 1,132 95 101 285 1+1 155 23 87 10 2,1461 1,292 223 762 Using Using hand powered to o ls to o ls k 25 2 1+53 77 153 223 798 98 2J4O 1460 171* 363 119 181 63 21+9 H+l 88 20 563 79 31 17 23 3 2,973 1+72 876 1,625 2,277 9l+7 1,15 6 l.o ia • 112 96 2 ii+ l+o 7 16 h 2 11 - 772 25 112 635 103 71+ 16 13 10 i+ Walking 1x85 22 5 10 7 10l+ 1+5 32 3 10 11 3 60 18 26 16 Stepping Climbing to or to or from equipment 227 1 - 1 60 19 23 1+ 1 9 1+ 18 7 10 1 277 70 201+ 3 II4I+ 17 5 1+ 35 - 109 from equipment 208 9 3 6 Running Other a c tiv itie s or jumping .. hi . 12Z_-- 1 1 23 3 - 16 - k Unclas s ifie d ; in su f fic ie n t data 3.306 1+08 175 106 127 815 281 77 22 28 6 6 13 2 7 5 2 - 37 8 12 5 1+ 6 2 32 13 13 6 3 1 2 - 1+8 6 77 32 1+5 - 33 7 26 - 31 11 li+ 6 1,000 10 3 H+ i+ 251 1+3 3 - 16 26 306 36 51 123 18 789 227 301+ 258 1+58 1+73 69 42 Table 5 - T y p e s of Accidents b y Occupation of Injured Superintendents, Accident types Journeymen Apprentices Helpers foremen Number 3ercentl/ Number 13ercentl/ Total.................. ........ Struck by moving objects......... ■Falling objects............... From hands of workers........ From framing or forms........ From roofs or scaffolds........ From other positions......... Flying or thrown objects....... Small particles.............. Lumber...................... Nails..................... .. Other objects............... Hand-operated or -wielded objects Mechanically powered equipment... Other......................... Falls to lower levels............ From scaffolds, platforms, etc... From forms, walls, roofs, etc.... From ladders, stairs, sawhorses.. Through floor openings......... From other surfaces............ Striking against objects......... Bumping moving parts of equipment Stepping on objects......... .. # Striking splinters or slivers.... Bumping building materials..... . Striking projecting nails, wires. Kneeling on or rubbing against... Other.......... .............. Overexertion................. . Due to lifting or carrying...... Due to pushing or pulling ....... Due to swinging objects........ Due to other activities........ 7,656 2,150 719 252 198 71 198 588 h01 82 52 U7 539 276 28 1,586 627 Ii25 357 Ul 138 1,U93 U18 281 286 133 132 98 1U5 1,120 919 12U 59 18 Caught in, on, or between ••....... Handled objects............... Hand tools and other objects.... Other objects..... ........... 527 226 112 52 137 359 185 17U 235 98 39 98 Absorption of chemicals, poisons. •• Falls on same level......... . As a result of slipping As a result of tripping........ ■While stepping on loose objects*. Other......................... 100.0 2 7.6 9.3 3.3 2.5 .9 2.6 7 .5 5.2 1.0 .7 .6 6.9 3.5 •U 20.3 8.0 5.U U.6 .5 1.8 19.1 5.3 3.6 3.6 1.7 1.7 1.3 1.9 1U. 3 11.7 1.6 .8 .2 6.7 2.8 1.U .7 1.8 U.6 2.U 2.2 3.0 582 191 51 18 10 5 18 57 U5 3 6 3 65 18 - 77 20 29 19 2 7 138 25 U8 27 Hi 10 8 6 70 55 10 5 100.0 35.0 8.8 3.1 1.7 .9 3.1 9.3 7 .3 .5 1.0 .5 11.3 3.1 13.3 3.5 5.0 3.3 .3 1.2 25.8 U.3 8.3 14.7 2.1+ 1.7 1.U 1.0 12.1 9 .5 1.7 .9 Number 1Percentl/ 355 101 hi 18 7 6 16 21 lU 1 h 2 21 10 2 65 21 16 16 3 9 83 15 33 lU 8 3 3 7 h3 38 li - 1 - - 26 13 7 1 U.5 2.2 1 .2 .2 .9 23 10 6 1 3.3 13 5 6 100.0 28.5 13.3 5.1 2.0 1.7 U.5 5.9 3.9 .3 1.1 .6 5.9 2.8 .6 18.5 6.0 U.5 U.5 .8 2.5 23 .U h .2 9.U 3.9 2.5 .8 .8 2.0 12.1 10.7 lo l .3 6.5 2.8 1.7 .3 1.7 3.7 1.7 Number Percentl/ 268 61 16 100.0 22.8 2 6.0 1.5 1 .5 .8 lh h 7.U 5.1 1.5 h h 6 20 - 2 12 12 1 U6 19 11 9 2 5 59 2)i 5 8 5 3 6 8 2.2 .8 39 35 3 1 U.5 U.5 .u 17.3 7.1 U .l 3.U .8 1.9 22.2 9.0 1.9 3.0 1.9 1.1 2.3 3.0 1U.7 13.2 1.1 .U 19 7.1 6 5 3 5 2.2 1 .9 1.1 1 .9 20 13 7 7 .5 U.9 2.6 3.9 6 2.3 .8 - 1.2 19 12 7 30 7 5 18 91 1.2 13 2.2 3 2.0 .8 Contact with extreme temperatures•• hi .6 1.1 1 .u 20/4 2.6 .7 1.9 h Other accident types............ . h 11 6 1.7 10 3.8 Unclassified; insufficient data.... hh - 3 - - - 2 - Slips and stumbles (not falls).... Stumbles...................... Slips....................... 1.3 l/ Percents are b ased on classified cases only. .5 2.1 1 .2 5.2 1 .2 6 7 xU .9 h 3 3.1 7 2.0 lol 2 h 5 .8 - 1.5 1 .9 43 Table 6 - Acoident Types \ ----- Working Chips, Ma Lumber Hand Bodily splint chines Forms sur faces tools motions ers Total Accident types Number Percent 9.061 100.0 2 ,1*06 1,728 i,??7 576 Struck by moving o b j e c t s ......... . 2.503 Palling objects ................... 833 From hands of w o r k e r s ...... ... 292 From framing or f o r m s ....... .. 219 From roofs or scaffolds ....... alt F*am other positions •••••••••. 238 Flying or thrown o b j e c t s . . . ..... 686 Small p a r t i c l e s ............. . # 1*80 L u m b e r ........................ 90 N a i l s ........................... 62 Other o b j e c t s .................. 5U Hand-operated or -wielded objects 637 Mechanically powered equipment •. 316 O t h e r .................. ........... 31 27.7 9.2 3.3 637 519 175 2.1* 181 2 2 - 957 49 19 8 1 21 20 • - Falls to lower l e v e l s .............. From scaffolds, platforms, etc. . From forms, walls, roofs, etc. .« From ladders, stairs, sawhorses • Through floor openings From other s u r f a c e s .............. T o t a l ............................... .9 2.6 7.6 71 92 90 5.3 - 1.0 90 .7 mm 2 • - .6 - 7.1 16 3.5 .3 12 1.771* 687 1*79 1*01 1*8 159 19.7 7-7 70 26 1,385 5.3 376 281; .5 27 12 2 1*8 3 Striking against o b j e c t s ......... . 1,773 Bumping moving parts of equipment 1*82 Stepping on o b j e c t s ............ . 367 Striking splinters or slivers... 335 Bumping building materials ...... 160 Striking projecting nails, wires 11*8 Kneeling on or rubbing against.. 115 Other.................... ....... . 166 19.7 5«4 4.1 3.7 1.8 1.6 1.3 1.8 Overexertion......... ...... ....... Due to lifting or carrying...... Due to pushing or pulling....... Due to swinging objects Due to other a c tivities......... Palls on same l e v e l ................ As a result of slipping......... As a result of tr i p p i n g ......... While stepping on loose objects. Other ................ ............ . 1.272 1.01*7 11*1 61* 20 595 255 130 51 153 i*.i* 830 3i*8 282 88 100 12 - - 604 43 78 98 - 1 57 36 14.1 11.6 1.6 •7 •2 582 551 25 6 20 6.6 194 91 23 13 67 216 82 61 32 41 8 1 7 1 1 - 70 5 2.9 1*4 .6 1.7 19 1 3 2 - • • • • • mm mm 1 - • • _ • 8 2 137 103 2 • • 38 37 19 • 5 • 18 • 72 67 16 2 k 8 19 4 _ 1 • 1* 1 • 13 1 - mm 19 2 21 • 15 1 9 7 4 - - 1 1 381 378 79 59 • mm • mm 1 12 3 42 4 23 19 4 142 139 3 68 66 1 - - - 1 _ . _ - • 5 - - 6 1 1 2 2 - 384 208 176 163 21 76 64 2 17 8 4 285 111 3*2 1.2 127 1*7 •5 1.5 17 5 47 10 Absorption of chemicals, p o i s o n s •• 112 1.2 13 - Contact with extreme temperatures* 56 .6 - 231 2.6 1*9 - http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ 1/ Percents are based on classified cases only. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis 20 6 1 • 21*5 3 Caught in, on, or between....*.... Handled objects................ . . Hand tools and other objects.... Other objects................ •••• Unclassified? insufficient data... 5?5 36 5 25 13 19 195 Other accident t y p e s ........... . J ik 8 . • «. . - 2.4 2.2 . 1*67 1*67 - 1*11 216 53 • • • - • - Slips and stumbles (not falls).... Stumbles........... ......... . .* S lips.......... .............. ]... 4.6 1*67 • 20 608 280 - 1 3 w Build ing mater ial N.E.C. 59 2 - _ - • • - _ • — 2 8 38 19 12 10 7 3 1 1 5 1 l - - 3 1 2 m 16 16 2 14 8 6 14 2 2 «» m - - - - - 6 - 1 - - - - - - 1 15 192 - 2 - mm 2 - - - - - - - 44 and Agencies of Injury Doors Build and Nails ing windows steel Accident types Total.................................. Struck by moving objects ............ Falling o b j e c t s ..................... From hands of workers ........... From framing or forms ........... From roofs or scaffolds ......... From other p o s i t i o n s ........... . Flying or thrown objects ........... Small particles .................. L u m b e r ............................ Nails ............................. Other objects H a n d - o o e r a t e d or -wielded objects Mechanically powered e q u i p m e n t Other ................... .. .. ............................. ......... . Falls to lower levels ..... From scaffolds, platforms, etc**.* FVam forms, walls, roofs, etc*...* From ladders, stairs, sawhorses... Through floor o p e n i n g s ............ From other surfaces ................ Striking against objects ............. Bumping moving parts of equipment . Stepping on objects ................ Striking splinters or slivers .... Bumping building materials ........ Striking projecting nails, wires.. Kneeling on or rubbing a g a i n s t .... Other ................................ Overexertion .......................... Due to lifting or carrying ........ Due t o pushing or pulling ......... Due t o swinging objects ........... Due to other a c t i v i t i e s .......... . Falls on same level ••••............. As a result of slipping ........... As a result of tripping • *........ • Ififhile stepping on loose objects... Other ............................... 168 112 39 18 17 - 3 - k 2 99 m 25 21 10 1 - 76 2 - 10 2 62 - 3 - 3 1 - 22 3 - 62 • 12 1 - 2 - 11 7 - 1 - - 1 - 32 18 - 31 - 19 - 6b 63 l 8 5 1 1 1 Slips and stumbles (not falls) ...... Stumbles ............................ Slips ............................... 2 Caught in, on, or b e t w e e n ......... . • Handled objects .................... Hand tools and other objects ...... Other o b j e c t s ................. . • •. • 16 1 1 2 - Vehi cles Boxes and kegs 90 83 16 10 10 8 2 - b 1 - 3 - . - b 8 3 1 1 - Cab Chem- ]Excava inets, Other Unclas sinks, icals tions sified etc* 71 70 66 599 110 - - 3 3 1 135 72 16 3 2 - - - - - - - 6 - - 1 - 3 - 1 2 - b 3 .. - 13 1 - 1 • - 5 3 1 2 25 20 5 - • - - 23 1 21 1 5 52 2 21 3 2 1 5 3 1 3 2 - • - - 1 1 - 1 1 - • 1 • 1 - 38 6 3 25 1 2 - 9 b b b 6 ■"* 6 13 12 • - - - a. • - - 1 - b 5 • • - 6b 9 9 1 - b5 - - - 3 2 1 38 1 2 - • _ • - 2 1 • 1 - 8 _ - - • - - - - b- b bl bl 7 2 bl bo 13 27 3 15 5 m 2 - - mm • 1 kb 25 81 7 3 3 13 13 l 26 21 lb b 1 5 5 16 37 63 5b 2 18 • • • - 8 10 b 1 - 6 - - - 3 3 58 22 9 3 b 3 - - 1 b b b - 1 18 2 w 2 2 2 - - 2 3 8 27 7 8 m mm mm 3 1 19 - •••• - - - - - 70 - - 21 2 ••• - - - - - - - - 55 - Other accident t y p e s ....................................... - - - - - 1 - - 20 - Unclassified; insufficient d a t a ........... m - - - - - - - bl Absorption of chemicals, poisons Contact with extreme temperatures Table 7 - *Brpes of Accidents by Activity^ of Injured Accident types ■ Total »nntt t Struck by moving objects*..........•*. Falling objects*••••••........... From hands of workers.............. From framing or forms*........... From scaffolds........... Fromroofs other or positions* •••••••••• Flying or thrown objects..*•*•••• Small particles....... *.............. Lumber*.................................... Nails........................................ Other objects*....................... . Hand-operated or -wielded objects Mechanically powered equipment*•• Other.***....................... Falls to lower levels*.**.**;.....* From scaffolds, platforms, etc..* From forms, walls, roofs, etc.*.. From ladders, stairs, sawhorses*. Through floor openings..........*.* From other surfaces............... * Striking against objects................ Bumping moving parts of equipment Stepping objects*.......•••••••• Striking on splinters or slivers.... Bumping building materials*•••••* Striking projecting nails, wires. Kneeling on or rubbing against... .......... Other*............................. Total Lifting, number carrying, of or injuries placing 2.059 9.061 301 2,503 833 267 292 198 16 219 84 13 238 40 686 134 480 90 6 62 54 3 637 13 316 26 31 108 1,774 687 31 479 23 401 18 48 7 159 29 2851 1,773 482 50 367 156 335 160 27 148 32 115 4 166 , 15 - Using hand tools Using powered tools 1.531 990 71 21 23 234 328 238 16 58 16 5762 13 144 62 34 40 8 122 1 5 35 18 18 24 21 1.041 455 15 42 9 154 106 392 71 285 14 3 27 2 493 4752 6 11 4 4 - - - Stepping Climbing to or Walking to or from from equipment equipment 208 485 227 179 55 42 1 111 42 1 26 2 12 -5_ 121 1 120 107 53 28 18 23 27 19 35 12 581 258 19 4 3 381671 19143 25-3 113 23 3 -5 11 10 4 - - - - - - - - Running Other or activities jumping 47 - _ 15 4 5 5 1 28-7 -2 19 - - 157 42 10 1 _1 8 4 -1 3 196 3 186 3 3 6 11 341 3 - - Unclas sified; insuf ficient data 3.306 689 454 66 171 64 153 179 131 242 22 28 16 12 1,195 512 326 238 32 87 610 1324 131 93 88 83 79 Table 7 - Types of Accidents by Activity of Injured— Continued Accident types Overexert Due to ion.................................. lifting or carrying.....•% Due to pushing pulling........... Due to swingingorobjects........... Due to other activities.,.....*.. Falls on same level........ . As &result of slipping............ . As a result of tripping.......... While stepping ................... on loose objects.. Other.............. .. Slips and stumbles (not falls)..... Stumbles............ . Slips.......................................... Caught in, objects...................... on, or between.......... Handled Hand tools and other objects..... Other objects.................... Absorption of chemicals, poisons... Contact with extreme temperatures.. Other accident types............ ...... Unclassified; insufficient data.... Total number of injuries 1,272 1,047 141 64 20 595 255 130 57 153 411 216 195 285 111 47 127 112 56 231 49 Lifting, carrying^ or placing Using hand tools Using powered tools 995 953 384 129 52 32 12 33 124 57 67 82 68 14 16 3 12 4 136 15 55 633 39 15 25 17 9 4 5 553 45 7 7 5 22 2 30 20_8 2 6 _3 3 3 3 171 16 1 2 19 1 - Stepping Climbing Running to or to or Other Walking or from from activities jumping equipment equipment _ 118 50 39 17 12 70 46 24 «.2 1 1 2 2 - -_ 297 85 9 57 44 13 46 - -8 5 3 25 187 1 _ • 1 30 - _ __ 2 11 _ 12 1 _ - - 25 23 2 471 2 25 3 331 32 5 9 1 1 Unclas sified; insuf ficient data 86 715 1 9 257 118 47 18 74 116 52 64 95 38 1 56 83 35 99 41 Table 8 Accident types Struck by moving objects*.................. Falling o b j e c t s * . . . . . . From hands of workers** •••••••• From framing or forms*****......... From roofs or sca ffo ld s........... From other p o sitio n s•••* ••••••• Flying or thrown objects Small p a r ticle s* • • • • • * * • • ...... L u m b e r ................. . . . . . . . . N ails...................................................... Other objects*............. *............... Hand-operated or -wielded objects Mechanically powered equipment•*• Other ...................... From scaffold s, platforms, etc.** From forms, w alls, roofs, e t c .* .. From ladders, sta irs, sawhorses•* Through floor openings• • • • • • • • • • • From other surfaces• • •••••••••••* Striking against o b j e c t s * .......... Bumping moving parts of equipment Stepping on objects• • • • • • • • • • • • • • Striking splin ters or s liv e r s * ... Bumping building m aterials* •••••• Striking projecting n a ils , w ires. Kneeling on or rubbing against*** Other*............................ ........................ Total number of injuries On scaf folds . 9,061 2,503 833 292 219 82* 238 686 1*80 90 62 5U 637 316 31 1,77k 687 2*79 2*01 2*8 159 1,773 2*82 367 335 160 li|S 115 166 . . . 822 18 11 3 1 7 2* 2 2 2 1 677 673 1 2 1 32 9 2* 2 2 15 - Types of Aooidents by Location of Accident On ground . .623 67 33 21 2 1 9 10 3 5 2 21 2 1 2*1 — 2*1 65 • 2*5 1 5 2* 9 1 On floors ..1*32 57 12 2* 6 • 2 12* 8 2* 1 1 26 5 61 2*2 19 113 1 21* 16 8 3 51 10 On jo is ts , p lates, rafters, etc. - , ,L 20 37 18 2* 12 1 1 5 2* 1 12 2 ia*+ - 183 . 1 29 5 2* 7 1 7 5 Oa ladders On roofs ..... .361 5 5 1 1 1 2 • 278 1 276 1 19 3 8 1 337 - - - 7 68 12 5 2 5 22 12* 1 3 2* 18 15 1 133 2 129 2 38 3 3 5 8 3 ll 5 On w alls or forms On saw horses 281 20 10 2* 6 2 Z . - 7 1 156 155 _ 1 29 5 2* 2 5 2* 9 lh2 6 1 1 1 „ 1 3 1 81 • • 81 _ 12* 2 8 • 2 - _ 2 Other and unclas sified 5.6U3 2,225 731 251+ 193 72 212 628 24*9 78 58 1+3 52+8 290 28 163 12 10 2*2 5 91+ 1,2*31* 2*73 260 301 127 130 31 112 Table 8 - Types of Accidents by Location of Accident— Continued Accident types Overexertion ........... ................. . Due to liftin g or carrying •••.•• . Due to pushing or p u llin g . ....... Due to swinging objects •••••••••• Due to other a c t i v i t i e s . ... .... .* Falls on same le v e l............................ . As a resu lt of slip p in g .. As a resu lt of t r i p p i n g . ... ... ... ■ While stepping on loose o b jects*. Other........ .. • • • • • ............... .. Slips and stumbles (not f a ll s )...*. Stumbles• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • S lip s * ..,................................................. Caught in , on. or between............. T_T Handled objects..............................T__ Hand tools and other objects ••••* Other o b jects* .* ......................... . Absorption of chemicals, p o iso n s... Contact with extreme temperatures*. Other accident types*.................. . U nclassified; in su fficien t data**** Total number of injuries 1,272 1,Q(*7 i 1+1 6k 20 595 255 130 57 153 1+11 216 195 285 111 hi 127 112 56 231 k9 On. scaf folds 23 17 3 2 1 23 13 6- 1+ 21 9 12 6 6 22 On ground On floors On jo ists, plates, rafters, etc* hi 25 * 13 5 7 23 18 5 97 25 30 17 25 52 39 13 6 3 2 1 1 1 103 58 3 5 37 23 5 18 2 1 1 32 9 6 - 18i+ 81 63 23 17 183 111+ 69 li+2 2 10 15 1 6 - 17 2 - On ladders On roofs 10 10 23 16 -3 - 2 1 25 11 11+ 1 1 - 6 - 1 33 19 3 2 9 19 1 18 3 1 1 - 2 1+ 5 16 20 11 - 2 - On w alls, or forms 11+ 9 3 1 1 32 16 8 1 7 16 8 8 3 1 On saw horses Other and unclas sified 1 1 1,10 6 _ - 5 1 • k 18 H1++ 250 _ 2 - - 11 17 ' 931 115 1+3 17 115 1+2 15 5 53 51+ 15 39 ' 102 1+1 107 90 1+8 111 1+7 Table 9 - Types of Accidents by Hazardous Working Conditions Defects of agencies Accident types Total............... . Struck by moving objects#•••. Falling objects#•••••••••#• From hands of workers••• • From framing or forms.##• From roofs or scaffolds#. From other positions.•••• Flying or thrown objects##. Small particles..••••••••. Lumber...................... Nail ffiMftfMiMtttMtn Other objects#...##...... Hand-wielded objects.•••••# Powered equipment#••••••••• Other Falls to lower levels.#....## From Fromscaffolds, forms, walls,platforms.. roofs.#. From ladders, stairs, etc.. Through floor openings....# From other surfaces#......* Striking against objects#.... Bump moving parts of equipmeat•• on ••••«••.......•••••• Stepping obj ects#....... Striking splinters, slivers Bumping building materials. Striking projecting nails.. Kneeling on or rubbing#.... Other....................•••#••• Total number of acci- Total dents 9,061 2,503 $33 292 219 $4 23$ 6$6 480 90 62 54 637 316 31 1,774 687 479 401 48 159 1,773 482 367 335 160 148 115 166 2,206 ProLow Poor Projectmate- de— ject- Slip- Other ing ing nailsj rial sign sliv- pery wires strength ers 528 _ ---_ -1 -1 496 315 214 50 429 7 - - 258 95 19 17 16 43 128 108 9 11 19 151 630 395 155 59 201 842 350 350 332 -1 9 1441 1446 1 - 517 165 33 3 72 21 116 103 5 128 31 2 1 4 372 329 325 135 18 186 57 - 16 40 -1 10 - 15-14 16 1 5 7 -5 --_-5 4 1 _ .2 22 39 -3267 -_ 42 -5 174 856 -- 1987 311 8 2 1 329 1 8 -- 3291 4 1 — 4 - Improperly guarded agencies Lack Lack Haz of ardous Poor of Other Un per haz Un equip guarded Lack work house sonal ardous clas ment pointkeep of ing Total Other (not sified proce ing safety condi of- guard equip tions per opera- rails dures sonal) ment tion 1,350 812 382 156 1,232 627 286 251 3 3,106 _ 10 9 104 125 9 57340 321- 10 - 1,610 526 84 101 86 19-9 79 9 179 - 156 -5 -2 39 -- 36 20 -2 -105 -- 104 3 4 33 155 --81- 57 -- 436 56 56 -13 13 43 - 302 6 1 5743 31 62 _ • _ 2 41 _ - 19 8 - 591 8 28 265 265 1 - 29 464 347 117 205 215- 13 87-1 159 10 4 255 -- 2552 -1 23 _ 21 207 1 866 3 142 109 34- 841 • 46 - 46 10951 - 44 7 19 5 4 1 1 58 480 477 _ 3 12 4 28 91 1 315 • 2 1 478 476 171 -1 «-p» 31 2 2 11 1 135 8 772 - 254 4 2 1 1 7 2 — - 147 - - - - Table 9 - types of Accidents by Hazardous Working Conditions— Continued Improperly guarded agencies Defects of agencies Accident types Total number of acci Total dents Overexertion*.............. 1,272 Due to lifting or carrying*. 1,047 Due to pushing or pulling*.. 141 Due to swinging objects**..* 64 Due to other activities.*.•• 20 Falls on same level........... . $95 As a result of slipping*•••• 255 As a result of on tripping* •••• 130 While stepping loose...... objocts.............. 57 Other*•••• ...................* . 153 Slips and stumbles (nob falls) 411 Stumbles*............................. 216 Slips*................................. 195 Caught in, on, or between*•••• 285 Handled Hand toolsobjects*.**•••••••*• and other objects 111 47 Other objects.............•••••• 127 Absorption of chemicals***.. .* 112 Contact extreme temperatures.. 56 Other accident types........ ..** 231 Unclassified........................... 49 22 1 171 3 224 140 38 397 170 50 120 26 3 194 2 8 24 - Pro ject Low Poor mate de ing nailsj rial sign wires strength 25 203 2 33 32 1 - 4- 831 -5 - 3 18- 25- 2 - 6 18 17 - - -5 8 2 3 8 - 2 2 1 4 - - - Pro ject Slip ing pery Other sliv ers . - 31 -2 137 137118118 6 1 5 - -7 -7 1916 21 49 472 4 1 3 2 4 19 - Lack Lack of Haz of Other Un ardous Poor equip per haz Un guarded Lack house work ment point- of keep sonal ardous clas ing Other (not proce-i Total safety condi sified of- guard ing equip tions per opera rails dures sonal) ment tion 820 -. -- 800 -1 - 429 - 246 -1 - 19- 104 63 1 - 16 21 3 18- 116 no73 951 - 134 1 1 34 - 30 8 1 7 5 49 5 12 1 11 5 32 45- 65 6 6 60 - 19 6 6 26 30- 139 139 4 30 - 41 21 4 211 17 19 8 13 95 43 21 4 - 17 6 8 - 73 80 16 7 7 7 1 6 - 41 11 1 10 55 14 1 - 126 - 49 _ _ - - - - - - - - - - _ - - _ _ _ - - _ - Table 10 - Hazardous Working Conditions by Agency of Accident Work ing Hazardous working conditions Total sur faces 9.061 D efects of agen cies• • • • • • . . . . . 2,206 Projecting n a ils , w ires, etc. 528 Low m aterial strength*• • . • • • 517 Poor design or construction* 572 Projecting s liv e r s ................ 529 Slippery* .................................... .. 3251 Rough or uneven*..............• •• •• 68 Improperly guarded agencies*•• Unguarded point-of-operation Lack of guard rails, etc**** Other inadequate guard in g... Lack of equi pmenfc»-not personal Lack of lif t in g equipment.•• Lack of sca ffo ld s* • •• •• •• •* • Lack of lad d ers*.• • • • • • • • • * • Lack of other equipment** *.* Hazardous working procedures•• Inadequate working surfaces* Exposure to fa llin g objects* Other hazardous procedures*• Poor housekeeping******...........* Lack o f personal sa fety equipment**.* .......................• • • • • • • • Other hazardous conditions***• U n classified *• • • • * • • • • • • • • • • • • 67 1,350 812 582 156 1,232 926 158 121 27 627 353 78 196 286 251 3 Lum Ma Hand Fram Forms ber chines tools ing Lad Roofs ders Build ing W alls, Doors, Saw Chem Excava Boxes, (Dther Unclas founda win horses ic a ls tions kegs sifie d ria ls, tions dows N.E.C. mate 7578 hh7979 230 33205 3 282 235 68 258 8 333333482 68 18- 1+81 1 1+6 4 1 8859 1 29 268 - soli 568 58li 356 237 193 238 90- bZ- 542 103 119- H41+ 13 52 81 18 24 33 12 484662- 109- H+1 46 12 9 30 15 7 4 6 4 23 1 _ 446 379 .4- 117- 61+37- 3756 9 1+ 4 117 163 24 78 7 133 23 62 148 12 1 13223• 23 66 1 1915 5 1 i+ 5- 17- 6971 233 -- 23 2323 233 12 5 11 5 12 2 • 2 - 6 - 98 66- 57 17 1+7 1+ 97 10 - - - - - - l.h s k - 1,569 1 1 5 - - . - 921 72 19. - - 59 1 - 1 _ • - 53 53 - 5 - 59 22 10 6-5 1 - 1 - 1 11- 11 56 284 18-3 - 3 - 28 28- - - - - 25 25- - - - 56 - 54- 4l13 2- 48 246 3. 106.. 61 1-1 2 -23 11 -. 48 • 13 _ 10- 28 - - 68 379 184 88 23 83 10 - - 7 2 - 2 • - - 47 4o 7 - _ • _ - - - 3,106 3,106 ' ' Table 11 - Hazardous Working Conditions by Activity of Injured Hazardous working conditions Total*............. .................. . ................... Defects of agencies*• • •• • • • •• • • • Projecting n a ils, w ires, etc** Poor design or construction*.• Projecting s liv e r s .* .. . . . . . . . . Slippery*••••* • •• • • • • •• • » •• • • • Rough or uneven*•• •* • • •• • • • • •• Other d efects........... • • • • • • • • • • • Improperly guarded a gen cies* ..•• Unguarded point-of-operation*. Laok of guard r a ils, eto ........... Other Inadequate guarding......... Lack of equipment—not personal.• Lack of liftin g equipment.. . . . Lack of sca ffo ld s..* •••••••••* Lack of ladder8*............................. Lack of other equipment......... .. Hazardous working procedures*••• Inadequate working surfaces* •• Exposure to fa llin g objects..* Other hazardous procedures***• Poor housekeeping................••«••«•• Lack of personal safety equipment Other hazardous conditions*•*•••* U n c la ssifie d .............•••••••••••* Total number of accidents 9.061 L ifting, carrying or placing 2,059 _ 2,206 k3k 528 517 372 329 325 68 67 1*350 812 382 156 1,232 926 158 121 27 627 353 78 196 286 251 3 3*106 89 21 23 13k 111 30 6 51 3 39 9 853 8l+9 3 1 67 32 6 29 65 9 - 580 Using hand tools 1.531 266 2k 150 28 3k 17 2 11 56 1 35 20 37 6 26 5 51 32 5 1k 6 33 1,082 Using powered tools , 1 01*1 52 3 h 13 6 3 23 807 791 k 12 k 2 2 8 3 2 5 2 Stepping to or Walking from equipment 227 . 1*85 . 26k 83 26 152 12 15 22 20 3 18 57 7 13 2 8 35 3 30 5 2 3 2 ke - 2 3k 27 k 3 k6 7k 2 - 2 122 72 k k3 1 Climbing to or from equipment 208 38 6 8 15 8 1 22 2 20 77 2 2 72 1 6 6 k 3 kk 6 1 - 38 1 Running or jumping Other a c tiv itie s k7 157 12 7 2 • 2 1 8 k6 - k k 1 1 2 2 1 - - 60 23 1 8 9 k 12 2 10 3 1 2 18 1 2 _ 15 10 2 8 5 k - 71 Unclas sified ; insuf ficien t data 3.306 1,011 220 299 21*0 128 99 12 13 360 Ik 262 8k 192 66 119 5 2 1^5 21+6 61 138 83 156 1 1,058 Table 12- Hazardous Workiiiff ConditioEis bv Location of Acoident Hazardous working conditions , Total nisnber of aocidents Total.......................................................... ...... 9^061 . .. Defects of agencies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,206 Projecting n a ils, w ires, e t c ... 528 Low material strength................ 517 Poor design or construction•••• 372 Projecting s liv e r s .......................... 329 Slippery* ................. • • • • • • • • • • • • • 325 68 Other d efects................................... 67 Improperly guarded agencies•••••• 1.350 812 Unguarded point-of-operation••• 382 Lack of guard r a ils , etc* * ••••• Other inadequate guarding•••••• 156 Lack of equipment—not personal••• 1,232 926 Lack of liftin g equipment ••••• • Lack of sca ffo ld s...................... 158 Lack of ladders ...................... 121 Lack of other equipment. . . . . . . # 27 Hazardous working procedures *•••• 627 Inadequate working surfaces . . . . 353 Exposure to fa llin g o b je c ts ,.,. 78 Other hazardous procedures 196 286 Poor housekeeping *••••••••••*•••• lack of personal safety equipment 251 Other hazardous c o n d itio n s ...,,.. 3 3,106 TJnclas s if ie d . ............................. . On scaffolds 822 U38 12 219 186 4 12 2 3 252 1 249 2 63 20 43 12 2 55 On ground On floors 623 284 50 9 1 163 55 6 49 1 39 9 35 26 U32 - - 9 2k - 2 22 3i|2 7 - 82 92 27 12 k 16 29 k 69 8 60 1 15 l4 - 1 8 3 1 k 7k 48 1 125 On jo is ts , plates, rafters, etc* On ladders 420 99 5 31 52 k 6 1 - 361 63 9 35 6 10 3 k k 119 - - 32 15 2 15 - 218 214 1 3 2 5 - 3 1 115 80 14 66 --3 3 10 - - 60 86 On roofs . . . 2?7 . 73 7 18 11 5 30 2 23 17 6 21 16 5 - - 44 34 2 8 3 99 74 cn walls or forms Other and unclas sified On saw horses 281 102 18 16 42 4 18 4 2 - - 2 37 11 25 1 98 96 - .... M . 18 6 6 5 1 - 2 -2 94 1 71 22 2 -- 5 19 4 - - 33 9 . _ 1,037 394 171 70 296 52 1 53 830 776 27 27 855 809 19 11 16 232 6 72 154 19 86 2 2,582 54 ------ --------------- Table 13 ~ Unsafe Acts by Occupation of Injured -1 Journeymen Apprentices Helpers Unsafe acts Superintendents, foremen Number Percent1/ Number Percent1/ Number Percentl/ Number Percentl/ 7,056 Assuming unsafe positions, postures 99U 630 Inattention to footing On ground.•••••••••..•••••••••• 2 1 6 On scaffolds or platforxas......... 170 On floors 133 On stairways or ladders........ 70 On other surfaces................... . ia Inattention to surroundings......... 1 9 7 Exposure to moving objects......• in 36 Other..................................... Incorrect handlings unsafe use of equipment........... ............ 399 Gripping objects insecurely..••.• 282 61 Taking wrong hold of objects..... Other. •••••.••....... .................... 56 Operating without authority; failure to secure or warn...... 178 Unsafe loading or p lacin g.......... k9 65 Other unsafe acts............ Unclassified; insufficient data .. 6,171 11.7 6.6 3.3 23.7 16.8 3.6 3.3 U3 32 8 3 35.0 26.1 6.5 2 .k 23 Hi 3 6 10.6 2.9 3.9 12 5 9 9.8 7 58.9 37.3 12.7 10.1 7.9 k .2 2 .h l / Percents are based on classified oases only* 355 100.0 582 100.0 U3.8 bh 20.3 25 10 8.0 3.3 6k 1+.9 l .8 3.3 k 11 8.9 10 8.1 8 6.5 100.0 - k59 U.i 7.3 - 29 16 27 k 2 1 7 3 3 6 2 288 U3.3 23.9 10.it 3 .0 6.0 3.0 1.5 10.it k .5 it.5 268 100.0 63.U hi 32 U3.0 2 .7 176 2 8.1 6 8.1 3- li.l11 lii.9 3l li.l l.li 3U.3 20.8 It. 9.05 158 3 20.3 10.8 li.l 5.U 10.it 9.0 3.0 - 7 1 9.5 l.li 5.U h h I 19 1 - Table lk- Unsafe Acts by Types of Accidents Assuming unsafe p osition s or postures Total Accident types Total....................................... Struck by moving objects*....•• Falling objects.............. From hands of workers*...... From framing or forms ...••• From or scaffolds.... From roofs other positions Flying or thrown, objects •. •• • Small particles........•••••• Lumber. Nails. ....*•........•••••*••« Other objects...*..........••* Hand-wielded objects.......•« Powered equipment*.......••••.. Other. •• ••••••.......•••••....... Falls to lower levels*......... From scaffolds, platforms.... From forms, walls, roofs..... From ladders, stairs, etc*... Through floor openings......... From other surfaces........... . . Striking against objects....... Bump moving parts of equipStepping on objects......... Striking splinters, slivers.. Bumping building materials... Striking projecting nails.... Kneeling on or rubbing........ Other................................... Incorrect handling; unsafe use of equipment Inatten number Gripping Taking Inatten tion Exposure of tion to to Other Total objects wrong Other acci Total to inse hold surround moving dents curely of footing ings objects objects 226 127 1,121+ 703 68 1+80 336 9.061 69 75 306 1-+ 3 123 1+92,503 153 231 360 5 2 176 3 19 171+ 23 835 -2 1 292 171+17312---1 12-1 -219 al+ 2 6 2 1 1 1 238 1891 686 l+o 11+ 1+3 3 3 --1+80 1 38371 1 1 90 5 . 62 22 15 13 5 3 5l+ 122 6 92 92 637 113 3 8 316 18 1 71 151 12 11 1 -3 51 . . _ . • 316 321 1+1.77U --1 -----180 180 687 6 2 8 1+79 -1+01 50 51 -- * -1 1+8 37 37 2 “ “ 159 1+5 1+3 16 22 221 2 11+ 1,775 21+0 1+ 5 1 11 111+82 13 11+1 1 -567 -1 555 1 2 160 1092 107 211+8 -1 1 1 1 5 115 1+ 166 113 Ill 1 1 1 5 3 Opera ting Unclas- without Unsafe Other sified; author loading unsafe insuf or acts ity; ficient failure placing data to secure 201+ 61 80 7,H2_ 181+ 18 1,732 56 2- 1+18 162 521 111 1+ 12 -80 115 27 53 2 139 517 351+ 11 603 1+- 1+1*2 176 37 62 k 1+8 23 -3 - 1+15 6 2 282 1 11+ 3 • 1 11 1 , 14+1 -6501 -1+71 1+31+6 11 1 112 "• 30 1,1+81 15- Ui2 366 -335 2 ---H1+8 46 109 13 35 cn cn Table ll+- Unsafe Acts by Types of Accidents— Continued Assuming unsafe positions or postures Accident types O verexertion. ................................... Due to lif t in g or carrying •. Due to pushing or p u llin g ••• Due to swinging o b j e c t s ..... Due to other a c t iv it ie s •• ••• F alls on same le v e l. . . . . . . . . . . As a r esu lt of slip p in g .......... As a r esu lt of trip p in g • •• •• While stepping on loose objo c ts ....................................... O th er........................... ................... S lip s and stumbles (not f a lls ) Stumbles • • • • • • • • • • . .............. .. . S lip s ................ ................................ Caught in , on, or between. . . • • Handled o b jec ts........................... Hand to o ls and other objects Other o b jec ts............ Absorption of chem icals.............. Contact extreme tem peratures.. Other accident ty p es.............. U n cla ssified .................................. Total number of a co idents 1,272 1.0+7 141 61+ 20 595 255 130 57 153 1+11 216 195 285 111 1+7 127 112 56 231 1+9 Total 33171 11 93 1+0 27 210 191 19 151+ 1 10 2 9 Incorrect handling; unsafe use of equipment Inatten Inatten Exposure tio n to tion to Other moving to surround footing objects ings -- 159 10 93 39 17 208 191 17 2 - 2 - - - - - - 1 - 1 - - - - - - 1+ 3 1 - 33 12 1 - 1 10 2 - 2 8 1 7 - 2 - Total 8 - 3+ 1 1 _ 89 62 15 12 - 1 Gripring Taking objects wrong in se hold curely of objects 3 2 1 . 1 1 - • Other + 1 1 2 1 - _ - - - + - 1 67 56 3 8 - - 3 _- 2 1 1 1 . - 1 . - 22 6 12 1 Oper ating without Unsafe author loading or ity ; failu re placing to secure • _ _ - - _ • 1 _ - Unclas Other sifie d ; unsafe insuf acts fic ie n t data 6 31 _ 2 16 2 1+21 2 _ 1 _ - 31 1,251 1 , 01+1 131+ 60 1 _ - W 36+ 17 12 * + 201 25 176 1h 2 8 151 39 31 81 - 112 - - 16 2 _ - 3 11 2 52 - 221 1+9 Table 15- Unsafe Acts by Activity of Injured Unsafe acts T otal.............................................................. Assuming unsafe p osition s, postures Inattention to footin g.................... On ground........................ On s oaffolds or platforms• ••••• On flo o rs•* .* ••.........••••« •••••• On stairways or ladders• • •• • • • • On other surfaces*............. Inattention to surroundings*••••• Exposure to moving obje ct8 ••••••• Inoorreot handling; unsafe use of equipment............................................. Gripping objects in securely.*••••• Taking wrong hold of objects*••••• Other............. .............................................. Operating without authority; failure to secure or warn............................ Unsafe loading or p lacing*.••••••••* Other unsafe a c ts....................................... U nclassified; in su fficien t d ata**... Total number of accidents Lifting, carrying, or placing ....9,0 61 . 1 , 121* 703 250 182 349 76 46 226 127 68 480 336 75 69 204 2,059 165 117 85 7 145 6 337 8 61 80 7,112 148 110 362 21 15 16 1,694 Using hand tools Using powered tools ... 1*531.... l.o k l 170 33 21l 8 263 97 14 - 205 149 479 27 7 3 1,119 71 31 2 25 17 31 - 37 18 2 17 6 .1 17 949 Walking Stepping to or from equipment 147 134 66 365 17 10 11 2 227 75 68 26 7 24 65 61 2 1 1 - i*S5 - 2 - 1 333 - - - 152 Climbing to or from equipment Running or jumping Other a c tiv itie s 208 53 39 31 2 33*. 13 1 47 10 6 3 3 - 4 - 1 2 5 • - . . - 42 - - 6 1 154 - 16 21 157 13 5 31 1- 2 - 3 9 122 Unclas sified; insuf ficien t data 3.306 460 294 62 134 63 16 19 127 19 20 84 56 25 3 142 35 17 2,568 58 REPORTS ON INDUSTRIAL HAZARDS AND FORKING CONDITIONS Annual Reports on Work I n ju r ie s : A c o lle c tio n of b a sic in d u s tria l in ju ry d ata fo r each y ear, p resen tin g n a tio n a l average in ju ry -freq u en cy and s e v e rity ra te s fo r each of the m ajor in d u s trie s in the U nited S ta te s , In d iv id u al estab lish m en ts may ev alu ate th e ir own in ju ry records by comparison w ith th ese d a ta . P rice 20 cents# B u lle tin 1025 Work In ju rie s in the United S ta te s During 19h9 15 cents# B u lle tin 975 Work In ju rie s in th e U nited S ta te s During I9be B u lle tin 9k5 Work In ju rie s in th e U nited S ta te s During 19U7 15 cents# B u lle tin 921 Work In ju rie s in the United S ta te s During 19U6 10 cents# 10 cents# B u lle tin 889 Work In ju rie s in the United S ta te s During 19U5 10 cents# B u lle tin 814-9 Work In ju rie s in the U nited S ta te s During 19Ui In ju rie s and A ccident Causes: In ten siv e stu d ie s of the frequency and se v e rity of work in ju r ie s , the kinds o f in ju r ie s , types of a c c id e n ts, and causes of accid en ts in se le c te d m ajor in d u s trie s : B u lle tin 1079 B u lle tin 1036 B u lle tin 1023 B u lle tin 962 B u lle tin 9h9 B u lle tin 92l; B u lle tin 88I4. B u lle tin 855 B u lle tin 839 B u lle tin 8314B u lle tin 805 S pecial S eries In ju rie s and A ccident Causes in Plumbing O perations In ju rie s and A ccident Causes in th e M anufacture of Pulp and Paper In ju rie s and A ccident Causes in the M anufacture of Clay C onstruction Products In ju rie s and A ccident Causes in T e x tile Dyeing and F in ish in g In ju rie s and A ccident Causes in F e r tiliz e r Manu fa c tu rin g In ju rie s and A ccident Causes in th e PulpwoodLogging In d u stry , 19b3 and I 9I4I4In ju rie s and A ccident Causes in the Brewing Indus tr y , I 9W1 In ju rie s and A ccident Causes in th e S laughtering and M eat-Packing In d u stry , 19b3 F a ta l Work In ju rie s in Shipyards, I 9I4.3 and I 9 I4I4. Shipyard I n ju rie s , 19bk In ju rie s and A ccident Causes in the Foundry In d u stry , 19U2 No. 5 In ju rie s to Crewmen on In lan d Waterways B u lle tin No. IOOI4. Work In ju rie s in C on stru ctio n , 1914-8-14-9 25 cents# 30cen ts# 30cents# U5 c e n ts# 20cen ts# 10cen ts# 15cents# 15cents# 10cents# 5cen ts# 15cents# 20cents# 25 cen ts# #For sa le by Superintendent of Documents a t p ric e s in d ic a te d . How to order p u b li c a tio ns: Address your order to the Superintendent of Documents, Government P rin tin g O ffice^ W ashington 25, D. C ., w ith rem ittance in check or money o rd er. Currency is sen t a t sen d erfs r is k . Postage stamps not accep tab le. Other p u b lic a tio n s can be obtained fre e of charge by addressing your req u est to : In d u s tria l Hazards Branch, Bureau of Labor S t a tis tic s , W ashington 25, D. C. ☆ U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 0 — 1953
@FedFRASER