OSHA seeks comment on vehicle backover, reinforcing concrete injuries

April 3 2012

OSHA late last month issued a Request for Information (RFI) that “seeks comments on how to prevent injuries and deaths from reinforcing concrete activities in construction, and from vehicles and mobile equipment backing into workers in construction, general industry, agriculture and the maritime industry,” the agency announced. “OSHA will use the comments received to learn more about how workers get injured and what solutions exist to prevent injury and death, including possible regulatory action.”

“Workers in the concrete industry use reinforcing methods to strengthen concrete,” OSHA went on to explain. “These workers face potentially life-threatening hazards including impalement, collapsed walls, and slips, trips and falls. OSHA data indicate that more than 30 workers died while performing these activities from 2000-2009… Workers also face fatal injuries when struck by vehicles backing up or when caught between backing vehicles and an object, such as a loading dock. OSHA found that about 360 workers died from backover incidents from 2005-2010.”

The complete Request for Information can be viewed here. Comments on the RFI are due to OSHA by June 27, 2012.