Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
Project Type
group
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Nicola Kaehler, Chaidaliz Minguela Alicea, Alena Richardson, Senior Charlene Weaver
Lead Presenter's Name
Alena Richardson
Lead Presenter's College
DB College of Engineering
Faculty Mentor Name
Dr. Payal Kotecha
Abstract
Jobsites face hazards like falls, which threaten the health, safety, and well-being of construction workers. Falls are the leading cause of all accidents and fatalities in construction, accounting for approximately 40% of all worker deaths in 2023. While achieving a zero-accident rate for falls is inherently challenging, prioritizing a zero-fatality objective represents a practical and impactful starting point. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends a six-step action approach for the prevention and control of hazards like falls. Of particular interest, the State of Florida is consistently ranked among the highest for construction fall fatalities, often attributed to insufficient implementation of safety measures within this framework. Florida is ideal for implementing enhanced control strategies given its rapid population growth and ongoing land development. This study aims to reduce fall-related fatalities in Florida to zero by 2040 through shifting a stronger safety culture and responsibility for hazard mitigation upstream to the design phase. Analyzing case studies in Florida can help identify negative design practices that contribute to fall fatalities on work sites as well as the positive design practices that contribute to safer work environments and less fall fatalities. Narrowing the scope to Florida allows for trends in worksite design to be identified and recorded for future project applications. By strengthening safety culture through design‑integrated prevention strategies, this study supports Florida’s long‑term goal of reducing fall‑related fatalities to zero by 2040 and offers improvements for construction safety on a nationwide scale.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
No
Included in
Civil Engineering Commons, Construction Engineering and Management Commons, Fire Science and Firefighting Commons
Fall Hazard Prevention: A Zero-Fatality Goal for Health, Safety, and Well-being on Construction Sites
Jobsites face hazards like falls, which threaten the health, safety, and well-being of construction workers. Falls are the leading cause of all accidents and fatalities in construction, accounting for approximately 40% of all worker deaths in 2023. While achieving a zero-accident rate for falls is inherently challenging, prioritizing a zero-fatality objective represents a practical and impactful starting point. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends a six-step action approach for the prevention and control of hazards like falls. Of particular interest, the State of Florida is consistently ranked among the highest for construction fall fatalities, often attributed to insufficient implementation of safety measures within this framework. Florida is ideal for implementing enhanced control strategies given its rapid population growth and ongoing land development. This study aims to reduce fall-related fatalities in Florida to zero by 2040 through shifting a stronger safety culture and responsibility for hazard mitigation upstream to the design phase. Analyzing case studies in Florida can help identify negative design practices that contribute to fall fatalities on work sites as well as the positive design practices that contribute to safer work environments and less fall fatalities. Narrowing the scope to Florida allows for trends in worksite design to be identified and recorded for future project applications. By strengthening safety culture through design‑integrated prevention strategies, this study supports Florida’s long‑term goal of reducing fall‑related fatalities to zero by 2040 and offers improvements for construction safety on a nationwide scale.