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In May 2010, Luis Zaruma, a construction foreman on a Brooklyn site, fell to his death from the fifth floor of the building under construction. Such falls are not an uncommon occurrence. Falls cause 35% of deaths in industry and claim the lives of over 250 workers every year (http://www.osha.gov/oshstats/commonstats.html)
I attended a meeting last week where the discussion centered on entrepreneurship and what skill sets are required for success. One of the guest presenters told a short story regarding the power of positive thinking in response to a participant's comment. The story was about a radio ad selling a DVD training program on using the power of positive thinking to get what you want. In response to the ad, the presenter sent a certified letter to the company asking them to envision receiving a check from him, then when they got the check to go ahead and send him the DVDs. Needless to say, two years later he still has not received his DVDs.
Growing up in an agricultural community, I have a highly personal view of farming accidents. A cousin and a school friend were both seriously injured in separate harvest mishaps.
On April 26, 1988, an air compressor hose exploded at a construction site on the Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan, hurling debris into the street and starting a small fire. Shockwaves from the explosion knocked over pedestrians on the other side of the street, and a piece of flying debris struck one of them. Accidents such as this emphasize the need for care when working with pneumatic tools (tools that are powered by compressed air).
Between January and August 2008, confined spaces caused 22 fatalities and 3 hospitalizations (OSHA Statistics). As with many safety statistics, taking basic precautions and following simple rules can reduce these numbers. In 1993 OSHA issued 29 CFR 1910.146 on Permit Required Confined Spaces. Characteristics of confined spaces change from industry to industry, but similar hazards exist. Common hazards include fires, galls, flooding, entrapment and atmospheric issues.
