Man Killed in University of Kentucky Construction Accident
Isaias Carbera Ramos, 24, died on Thursday after being struck by a piece of plywood at a construction site at the University of Kentucky.
About the Fatal Kentucky Construction Accident
According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, Ramos, who was helping to load plywood at the time he was struck, died of a traumatic head injury from the impact.
The incident occurred in the courtyard of the dormitory near the William T. Young Library on campus. According to Nathe, the area has been under construction since 2013.
Ramos’ death was declared accidental by authorities, and funeral preparations are currently underway.
Workplace Injury Statistics
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United States Department of Labor, 4,383 workers were killed on the job in 2012.
Out of the 3,945 private industry worker deaths in the year 2012, 19.6% were in construction.
The leading causes of worker deaths on construction sites were falls, struck by object, electrocution, and caught in/between. These causes are considered the “Fatal Four” in the construction industry, and accounted for nearly 56% of deaths in the year 2012.
Struck by object, which was Ramos’ cause of death, accounts for 10% of Fatal Four deaths.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration estimates that eliminating the Fatal Four would save 435 lives in America every year.
OSHA Inspections and Citations
In 2013, OSHA completed 39,228 federal inspections and 50,436 state plan inspections. The most frequently cited violations for the year were:
- Fall protection
- Hazard communication
- Scaffolding requirements
- Respiratory protection
- Electrical, wiring methods
- Powered industrial trucks
- Ladders
- Control of hazardous energy
- Electrical systems design
- Machinery and machine guarding
