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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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OSHA Seeks Input on Backover Fatalities

WASHINGTON (CN) - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration seeks input on preventing fatal backovers and injuries and deaths in concrete reinforcing work.

OSHA requests information that will assist it in determining what steps, if any, it can take to prevent injuries and deaths in these two areas.

Backovers caused 358 deaths from 2005 through 2010, according to OSHA's request for information. Of these deaths, 142 were in the construction industry, and 216 were in general industry, shipyard employment, maritime, and agriculture industries, said OSHA's request.

Three types of vehicles caused a large number of deaths: 61 deaths involved dump trucks; 31 deaths involved tractor trailers; and 20 deaths involved garbage trucks, the request said.

The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental & Reinforcing Iron Workers asked for new regulations for reinforced concrete work, according to OSHA's request for information.

From 2000-2009, 30 workers died while performing rebar-related activities, including five who died from impalement injuries, nine killed in falls, eight who died when rebar cages or columns collapsed, and six killed as a result of struck-by injuries, according to OSHA's request. There also was one positional-asphyxiation death, one death involving a rebar mat collapse, and one death that occurred during "post-tensioning activities," which involve applying high pressure to the metal, according to the request.

There may be a breakdown in continuity of safety operations when concrete workers leave a site and the iron workers arrive, the OSHA request suggested.

Information should be submitted by June 27.

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