When, Where and Why: White Paper Offers Insights into Serious Injuries and Fatalities

Dallas, TX — Serious injuries and fatalities occur most often during the summer months, particularly in July and August, according to a new white paper from ISN, a contractor and supplier information management software company.

In the paper, published Jan. 25, ISN speculates that this trend “may be a result of extended hours of sunlight in the United States that permit longer working hours that could result in fatigue among workers.” Additionally, crews are sometimes short-handed during these months because some workers are on vacation.

“Organizations should consider this in their risk assessments during these times of the year and implement additional safeguards, such as a fatigue management program, to mitigate future events,” ISN says.

This and other insights in the paper stem from a machine learning analysis of more than 60,000 recordable incidents reported by ISN contractors from 2018 to 2020. The incidents include more than 18,000 SIFs. In 2020, the majority of the SIFs occurred among contractors in construction (42%) and those in the administrative, waste management and remediation industry (29%).

Overall, the leading causes of the SIFs, in order, were contact with an object or equipment; slips, trips or falls; and overexertion and bodily reaction.

The paper also profiles leading indicators of SIFs. Employers who have a safe return-to-work program and employees who work in a process safety management facility were associated with lower SIF rates. Conversely, working at a height of 6 feet or higher, rigging material handling, having chemicals onsite, and operating a commercial motor vehicle were linked to higher SIF rates, as was receiving an OSHA citation in the past three years.

“It’s critical for organizations to understand the context leading to SIFs in order to prevent future incidents and prioritize the health and safety of individuals,” Brian Callahan, president and chief operating officer at ISN, said in a press release. “By thoroughly analyzing data on SIFs, as well as near misses and potential SIFs, organizations can continue on their journeys to zero incidents and for all workers to return home safe every day.”

Source: National Safety Council

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