Introduction to Struck-By Hazards

The leading cause of death in the construction industry is falling, followed by struck by object, electrocution, and caught-in/caught-between. This section of the course covers the hazards of being struck by a machine, piece of equipment, or object.

Struck-by injuries are produced by forceful contact or impact between the injured person and an object or piece of equipment. Struck-by injuries can sometimes resemble caught-in or caught-between injuries.

The key factor in making a determination between a "struck-by" event and a "caught" event is whether the impact of the object alone caused the injury. When the impact alone creates the injury, the event should be recorded as a "struck-by" event. When the injury is created more as a result of crushing between objects, the event should be recorded as a "caught-in/caught-between" event.

Events that should be classified as "struck-by" include the following:

• Struck by flying object
• Struck by falling object
• Struck by swinging object
• Struck by rolling object

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