Rules + Regs

Groups to focus on fatal vehicle incidents

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has joined the National Safety Council and Road to Zero Coalition to help prevent fatal worker injuries related to motor vehicle incidents, which are the leading cause of workplace deaths in the U.S., according to OSHA.

In 2023, transportation-related incidents caused 36.8% of the 5,283 fatal work injuries in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The joint initiative aims to reduce and prevent fatalities by fostering a culture of safety and preventive practices to protect workers on the road. OSHA wants employers to make safety a core principle by integrating safe driving and transportation practices into their businesses’ safety and health management systems.

“Unlike other workplaces, the roadway is not a closed environment,” says Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. “Preventing work-related roadway incidents requires a combination of traffic safety principles and sound safety management practices. By collaborating with the National Safety Council and the Road to Zero Coalition, we can promote safe driving policies to prevent needless tragedies.”

OSHA’s Motor Vehicle Safety webpage, osha.gov/motor-vehicle-safety, offers guidance for employers regarding developing written policies and procedures for workplace vehicle safety, including topics such as vehicle maintenance; seat belt use; and preventing distracted, drowsy and impaired driving. The webpage also highlights the importance of involving drivers in the process of creating and refining safety programs.

Construction industry fatalities rose in 2023

In December 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its annual Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries report for 2023, which showed the construction industry had 1,075 fatal injuries for the year—up from the 1,069 fatal injuries in 2022, according to Construction Dive. This marks the construction industry’s highest number of workplace deaths since 2011.

The industry’s 2023 fatal injury rate was 9.6 in 2023 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, which is unchanged from 2022. The fatal injury rate is viewed as a key safety indicator because it adjusts for yearly changes in the overall number of workers and amount of construction work.

Falls, slips and trips were the most common fatal events at 421, accounting for 39.2% of construction fatalities.

In total, 5,283 U.S. employees died at work in 2023, which means about one in five occupational deaths in 2023 occurred at construction workplaces.

According to the report, the overall fatality rate for U.S. workers in all industries was about 3.5 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers. The fatal injury rate for Black or African American workers decreased from 4.2 deaths per 100,000 workers in 2022 to 3.6 deaths per 100,000 workers in 2023. The fatal injury rate for Hispanic or Latino workers was 4.4 per 100,000 workers in 2023, which is down from 4.6 in 2022.

“Today’s data is a grim reminder of the challenge our industry faces when it comes to ensuring the health and safety of the men and woman who build America,” says Brian Turmail, vice president of public affairs and workforce for the Associated General Contractors of America.

NRCA designs, develops and delivers roof safety training, as well as health and management courses and publications, to help roofing contractors navigate workplace regulations and compliance. NRCA’s health and safety resources are available at nrca.net/safety.

Roofing contractor faces $328,545 in proposed penalties

Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials have again cited RRC Home Improvement Inc., Newark, N.J., for repeatedly violating safety requirements at three North Jersey job sites, exposing employees to fall hazards, according to OSHA. The company is not an NRCA member.

OSHA inspected an RRC Home Improvement job site in Dover, N.J., in June 2024 after receiving reports of employees working on a roof without fall protection. After warning the company about the hazard, in July 2024, OSHA inspectors opened inspections at two of the company’s job sites in Lodi, N.J., and again observed employees working without required fall protection. The inspectors also found violations involving lack of hard hats, eye protection and fire extinguishers; noncompliant pump jack scaffold poles; and unsafe ladder use.

OSHA cited RRC Home Improvement for four willful and seven serious violations. The company faces $328,545 in proposed penalties.

In five inspections since 2017, OSHA has cited RRC Home Improvement for failing to provide workers with fall protection and added the company to the agency’s Severe Violators Enforcement Program.

Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry. NRCA offers classes, webinars and products to ensure you properly train your employees and keep them safe. Visit shop.nrca.net for more information.