Analysis of fall accidents from scaffolding in the construction industry

Abstract

Falls caused by scaffolding are one of the most common causes of construction accidents. This study aims to represent the primary causes of scaffolding accidents, clarify the characteristics of the incidents, and explore the type of work or action during scaffolding accidents within the construction industry. In this study, 280 reports obtained from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that occurred during scaffolding accidents between 2019 and 2023 were examined, and the results were analysed using Pareto-Lorenz analysis. Accidents were classified according to the primary causes (employee, equipment, and environment), tasks or activities of victims at the time of the accident, falling distance, time of accidents, occupation, and age of the victims. Results: The most common factors associated with falls from scaffolding were lost balance (employee), scaffold brace failure, scaffold collapse (equipment), and employee falls from scaffolding due to any object falling or hitting the employee (environmental).

Padovi uzrokovani radom na skelama jedan su od najčešćih uzroka građevinskih nesreća. Cilj je ovog istraživanja predstaviti primarne uzroke nesreća na skelama, razjasniti karakteristike slučajeva i istražiti vrstu rada ili radnje tijekom nesreća na skelama u građevinskoj industriji. U ovom istraživanju ispitano je 280 izvješća dobivenih od Uprave za zaštitu na radu (eng. Occupational Safety and Health Administration - OSHA), koja opisuju nesreće na skelama između 2019. i 2023., a rezultati su analizirani pomoću ParetoLorenzove analize. Nesreće su klasificirane prema primarnim uzrocima (zaposlenik, oprema i okolina), zadacima ili aktivnostima žrtava u trenutku nesreće, udaljenosti pada, vremenu nesreće, zanimanju i dobi žrtava. Rezultati: najčešći čimbenici povezani s padom sa skele bili su gubitak ravnoteže (zaposlenik), otkazivanje potpore skele, urušavanje skele (oprema) i padovi zaposlenika sa skele zbog bilo kojeg predmeta koji je pao ili udario zaposlenika (okolina).