Every contractor knows that their occupation is particularly dangerous. Accidents can happen quite easily on a site but construction debris removal can help.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction Is "The Most Dangerous Industry" in the nation. This was underscored by the fact that, in 2010 for example, construction had the highest number of fatal injuries, accounting for 16.5 percent of the total work-related deaths that year.

The construction industry also has three of the ten occupations with the highest fatal injury rates. Roofers suffered 34.7 fatal work injuries for every 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, while structural iron and steel workers had 30.3 fatal injuries per 100,000 workers, and common laborers, who saw 18.3 deaths for each 100,000 laborer on a job site.

The CDC points out that construction work sites are "organizationally complex multi-employer sites and present numerous health and safety challenges." According to the CDC, in 2010, there were 774 fatal on-the-job injuries to workers in the construction industry – more than in any other industry sector and representing almost 17 percent of all work-related deaths in the U.S. that year.

Falls: The Number One Accident In Construction

More sobering construction statistics: according to OSHA, of the nearly 4,000 worker deaths recorded in 2013, over 20 percent of these were in construction. And of those, between 40 to 60 percent were caused by falls.

Surprisingly, almost half of all fatal falls are from heights of 20 feet or less – and many fatalities came from falls of less than six feet! However, when you realize that the average person’s reaction time is about half a second, and that this is the time it takes to fall just four feet, it makes sense.

And as a body falls, the impact force increases. This means that a 200 pound worker falling just six feet will hit the ground with almost 10,000 pounds of force.

On a typical construction site there are numerous holes and openings in roofs, walls, floors and even the ground. Many of these holes and opening represent a fall hazard.

According to Safety Services Company, here are the main types of openings to avoid on a construction site:

• A roof or floor opening that measures 12 or more inches in its least dimension
• A floor hole that measures more than an inch and less than 12 inches in its least dimension
• A wall opening with a height of 30 or more inches and a width of at least 18 inches
• A wall hole that measures more than 1 inch, less than 30 inches in height and is unrestricted in width
• Chutes or openings into which your dump debris
• Hoist openings constructed as either personnel and/or personnel elevators or personnel hoists
• An open-sided floor or platform that are constructed 4 feet or more above the adjacent ground level.

One tactic for reducing falls is to maintain construction debris removal. By regularly cleaning and removing construction waste, debris and rubble you can drastically minimize the potential for trips, falls, and other related accidents.

Minimizing accidents on the job site will minimize paperwork, lost labor hours, and related insurance and medical costs. And, possibly, you will save a life in the process.

Trips and Falls Can Be Avoided

Every good contractor constantly looks for ways to reduce his overhead and lower labor and material costs. In addition, finding ways of speeding up the construction process without sacrificing safety is an ongoing challenge. Any laborer that is hurt or injured can cost not only time, but money.

Smart contractors will work to be intentional and proactive regarding best practices in safety management. This includes ensuring that the construction site is kept as safe as possible, and part of this safe condition means being kept as clean as possible.

While it may seem a minor thing to fall from a short height of say, a few feet, or to simply trip over some loose debris, these types of accidents account for the majority of fall injuries and deaths.

Safety First is an Ongoing Practice

Atlantic Training offers these "Safety Action Items" for construction workers on sites:

• Only use the appropriate tool for a specific task.
• Ensure that scaffolds, ladders, and stairs are steady, dry, clean, clear of obstacles, and can hold the appropriate weight.
• Support trenches with sloping or shoring, ensure that there’s an engineered support system in place, and watch that exits are nearby and easily accessible.
• When operating tools, vehicles, or other heavy machinery, be vigilant for your own safety and that of the people surrounding you.
• Treat each chemical spill as a high hazard.
• Always wear appropriate protective equipment.
• Reduce your risk of strain and of falling by practicing good posture and balance at all times.

The bottom line here is that, while construction may be inherently dangerous, it does not have to be deadly. Simple steps to avoid trips, falls and other injuries can be easily taken. And maintaining a clean site with regular construction debris removal is a big part of those steps.

Your Partner in Site Safety

Once you have made the decision that outsourcing a series of site clean ups is cost-effective and will increase the safety factor, you need to determine which firm is the right one for the job. And while you can certainly find plenty of guys with trucks willing to do a “cheap” job, going that route will end up being anything but cheap.

Junk King provides an efficient, safe and eco-friendly construction waste disposal service so you don’t need to worry about the pick up or disposal of the debris after your project is complete. Whether you need our services several times during a construction project or just once after it is complete, our hauling professionals will ensure that the construction debris is out of your way so that you can get on with the job.

Our team specializes in construction trash removal. We can be at your facility in mere minutes, so call us today! Our crew is fully insured and well-trained, so you can trust them to get rid of your unwanted items in a professional and courteous fashion. One of the best things about hiring Junk King is that we recycle a much of the material we pick-up. This is proof of our commitment to being an eco-friendly removal service. If you have questions about what we do or what we believe, give us a call at (707) 744-4254.