Chapter 1 Analysis of accident statistic in construction industry.

The construction industry undoubtedly plays a important role in the development process of a country contributing towards social and economic growth. A successful development leads the country to global and being  recognize as a well known country where the social and economic growth is beyond a non-develop country. Everything has its pros and cons, therefore, such huge achievements have also contribute more problems towards the safety issues in the construction industry. Statistics have proven that construction industry has crowned the reputation of being one of the highly hazardous industry due to its high fatality rates compare to other industry.

Figure 1. Number of fatal work injuries at United States, by industry sector, 2012.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics that have been carry out by Department of Labor in United States, approximately 4,383 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2012. Although the rate of fatal work injuries has drop from a revised count of 4.693 in 2011, the number of fatal work injuries in construction industry remains the most worrying and dangerous sector in the United States among the industry sectors.

Figure 2. Local occupational accidents statistics by industry until August 2013.

According to Department of Occupational Safety and Health(DOSH), although construction industry is not the highest rate of accidents, however the death that happened in construction industry is rank at second with the number of 36 death. Nonetheless, 9 victims were found out with the permanent disability due to the accidents caused in construction industry.

Figure 3. SOCSO annual report reported local construction accident cases from 1993 to 2003.

Social Security Organization(SOSCO) has been record the annual construction accident cases. The cases of accident occur at the construction site is surprisingly high every year. Although the number of accident cases decrease from year 1996 to 1997, however, during year 1998, the number of accident cases at construction site has been increase and it seems like the number has been remain at the same level for 4 years.

Figure 4. SOCSO annual report reported construction fatalities at local.

According to record done by SOSCO, although the construction industry is not the highest contributing industry towards the accident statistics in Malaysia, however, the figure of construction fatalities during year 2000 is very high rate. With such unpredictable figures collected by SOSCO in construction industry, both the governmental and non-governmental organization have keep their attention and concerns towards this issue.

According to the Public Investment Bank report, an average of 10 fatalities at construction sites has occurred at Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya in the past two years. However, the figures were cut half from year 2010 (refer Figure 5), where 20 deaths were recorded that year.  Although this may seem as a positive news that the construction industry has tighten the health and safety rules and regulation where it brings the result to minimize the possible danger that the construction workers may face, there is still will be a tragedy that cause by uncontrollable forces such as human error.

Figure 5. Fatal accidents in construction at Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

Figure 6. Causes of fatal accidents at Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya in year 2012.

Figure 6 shows that out of the 10 fatal accidents in construction at Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, 4 accidents were fall from height and 2 accidents were struck by objects while 1 accident each for the accident such as struck by falling objects, caught in between object, overexertion and others.

Figure 7. Statistics for construction industry by accident type, 2006-2008.

Unfortunately, falls is the most happen accident during the construction industry with the ratio of quarter of the chart, followed by overexertion and struck by objects. The carelessness of worker is the major cause of these accidents. Falls from high rise building is deadly while 23% of the construction industry accident is overexertion because construction work can be burdensome to both physical and mental energy.