January  2015  

Prepared  &  Edited  by  Sue  Zampella;    Occupational  Safety  Consultants        WWW.WORKRISKFREE.COM  

   Preventing Backovers On Construction

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With the busy construction season in full swing, there are many potential hazards to be aware of on site, including backovers. A backover incident occurs when a backing vehicle strikes a worker who is standing, walking, or kneeling behind the vehicle. These incidents can be prevented. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 70 workers died from backover incidents in 2011. How Do Backovers Occur? Backover accidents can happen for a variety of reasons. Drivers may not be able to see a worker in their blind spot. Workers may not hear backup alarms because of other worksite noise or because the alarms are not functioning. A spotter assisting one truck may not see another truck behind him. Workers riding on vehicles may fall off and get backed over. Drivers may assume that the area is clear and not look in the direction of travel. Sometimes, it is unclear why a worker was in the path of a backing vehicle. A combination of factors can also lead to backover incidents.  Vehicles Causing the Most Backover Fatalities

2005-2010+ Dump Truck 67 Semi/Tractor Trailer 40 Truck 30 Forklift 21 Garbage Truck 20 Pick-up Truck 16 +OSHA Integrated Management Information System data What can be done to prevent backover incidents? Many solutions exist to prevent backover incidents. Drivers can use a spotter to help them back up their vehicles. Video cameras with in-vehicle display monitors can give drivers a view of what is behind them. Proximity detection devices, such as radar and sonar, can alert drivers to objects that are behind them. Tag-based systems can inform drivers when other employees are behind the vehicle and can alert employees when they walk near a vehicle equipped to communicate with the tag worn by the employee. On some work sites, employers can create internal traffic control plans, which tell the drivers where to drive and can reduce the need to back up. In some cases, internal traffic control

plans can also be used to separate employees on foot from operating equipment.  Training is another tool to prevent backover incidents. Blind spots behind and around vehicles are not immediately obvious to employees on foot. By training employees on where those blind spots are and how to avoid being in them, employers can prevent some backover incidents. One component of this training can include putting employees who will be working around vehicles in the driver’s seat to get a feel for where the blind spots are and what, exactly, the drivers can see. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has developed several Blind Spot Diagrams that can help explain what drivers of various large trucks can see. Additional resources on preventing backovers:  OHSA’s website site on Backover Prevention - www.osha.gov/doc/topics/backover/index.html Preventing Worker Injuries and Deaths from Backing Construction Vehicles and Equipment at Roadway Construction Worksites  from NIOSH, http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2014-125/pdfs/2014-125.pdf Prevention Video (v-Tool): Struck-by Accidents in Construction. OSHA Video, www.osha.gov/dts/vtools/construction/struck_by_backover_fnl_eng_web.html NIOSH Blind Spot Diagrams - http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/highwayworkzones/bad/imagelookup.html

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January  2015  

Prepared  &  Edited  by  Sue  Zampella;    Occupational  Safety  Consultants        WWW.WORKRISKFREE.COM  

Preventing Back Over Incidents on Construction Sites

A very real danger that exists on a construction site is one that is often overlooked. Everyone knows that falling from heights or injuries from machinery are common with this type of work. However, many may not know that backover accidents also cause numerous deaths each year on construction sites. A backover incident often occurs when a vehicle backs over a worker that is walking, standing or kneeling behind the vehicle. The key to preventing backover accidents on construction sites is to ensure that drivers and pedestrians are more aware of the activities going on around them. Here are four ways to accomplish that: 1. Develop a Traffic Control Plan

• Lay out worksites that minimize the need for vehicles to back up. • Separate moving vehicles and equipment from workers with physical barriers. • Put up signs and cones to show workers where to walk in high-traffic areas. • Ensure that contractors are aware of any changes in the flow of daily construction traffic at the

site. 2. Conduct regular vehicle inspections

• Inspect vehicles at the beginning of each shift. Make sure that brakes, lights, horns, and backup alarms and cameras are working properly. Put defective vehicles out of service until they are repaired.

3. Enhance workers' awareness of the work environment • Consider installing equipment that can detect objects in the vehicle's path. Back-up cameras,

proximity detection systems, and radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag-based systems (such as RFID tags worn by workers that send signals to drivers when the workers get too close) are examples.

• Ensure that vehicles with restricted views to the rear use backup alarms or a spotter directs them when they are backing up. Always maintain contact (visually, verbally, or by hand signals) with a spotter when backing up a vehicle.

• Ensure that workers know about the blind spots on any equipment they operate. • Ensure that vehicles' mirrors and windows are clean and that the mirrors are set properly. • Ensure that workers wear high-visibility garments — day and night. • Prohibit the use of personal cellphones and headphones in areas where they could distract workers

from approaching vehicles. 4. Keep workers informed At the start of each shift, review communications signals between equipment operators and spotters with all workers who will be on the site.

   

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January  2015  

Prepared  &  Edited  by  Sue  Zampella;    Occupational  Safety  Consultants        WWW.WORKRISKFREE.COM