A backover incident occurs when a vehicle is backing up and hits a worker who is standing, walking, or kneeling behind the vehicle. Backover fatalities and injuries are most prevalent in the construction industry. While many people only think of construction workers being struck by passing motorists, road workers are also at risk of being killed or seriously injured by construction vehicles. The biggest contributing cause to backover accidents is that rearview mirrors or backup cameras on vehicles have blind spots. With large vehicles such as dump drunks commonly found on construction sites those blind spots are significantly larger than your everyday car.
These incidents can be prevented but still happen far too often. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 326 backover fatalities from 2011 to 2015. Dump trucks were the construction vehicle involved in the most backover accidents. With the right training, proper equipment, and maintenance, backover injuries can be avoided. The following are some of the common causes of backover accidents, and some tips on how they can be prevented.
How do backover accidents occur?
- Drivers may not be able to see a worker in their blind spot.
- Drivers failing to check their surroundings before getting in the vehicle and backing up.
- Workers may not hear backup alarms or vehicles backing up because of worksite noise
- Backup alarms are not functioning.
- Workers riding on vehicles may fall off and get backed over.
- Drivers may assume that the area is clear and not look in the direction of travel.
- Inadequate communication between the driver and bystanders
Preventing backover accidents
- Using a trained and focused spotter to help the driver back up their vehicles.
- Training employees on where the blind spots are and how to avoid being in them
- Installing a rear-view camera, backup sensors, or additional mirrors
- Workers should wear proper high visibility safety gear to be easily spotted by drivers
- Conduct regular safety checks of the safety alerts to make sure they are working properly.
Tukio la backover hutokea wakati gari linapoendelea nyuma na kumpiga mfanyakazi anayesimama, akitembea, au kupiga magoti nyuma ya gari. Mauaji na majeraha ya nyuma ni ya kawaida katika sekta ya ujenzi. Ingawa watu wengi hufikiria tu wafanyakazi wa ujenzi wakipigwa na madereva wanaopita, wafanyakazi wa barabara pia wako katika hatari ya kuuawa au kujeruhiwa vibaya na magari ya ujenzi. Sababu kubwa ya aksidenti za kurudi nyuma ni kwamba vioo vya nyuma au kamera za kuhifadhi kwenye magari zina sehemu za kipofu. Kwa magari makubwa kama vile dump drunks kawaida hupatikana kwenye maeneo ya ujenzi wale blind spots ni kubwa sana kuliko gari yako ya kila siku. Matukio hayo yanaweza kuzuiwa lakini bado hutukia mara nyingi sana. Kulingana na Idara ya Takwimu za Kazi, kulikuwa na vifo 326 vya backover kutoka 2011 hadi 2015. Magari ya kuhamisha taka yalikuwa magari ya ujenzi yaliyohusika katika aksidenti nyingi za kuhamisha mizigo. Kwa kuwa umezoezwa vizuri, umewekwa vifaa vyenye kufaa, na umeharibiwa, unaweza kuepuka kujeruhiwa kwa sababu ya kuanguka. Yafuatayo ni baadhi ya sababu za kawaida za aksidenti za backover, na vidokezo fulani juu ya jinsi vinavyoweza kuzuiwa. Aksidenti za backover hutokeaje? - Madereva huenda wasiweze kumwona mfanyakazi aliye katika sehemu yao ya upofu. - Madereva kushindwa kuangalia mazingira yao kabla ya kupata katika gari na nyuma. - Wafanyakazi wanaweza kusikia kengele za ziada au magari kurudi nyuma kwa sababu ya kelele ya mahali pa kazi - Kengele za ziada hazifanyi kazi. - Wafanyakazi wanaosafiri kwenye magari wanaweza kuanguka na kuanguka nyuma. - Madereva wanaweza kudhani kwamba eneo hilo ni wazi na wasitazame upande wa kusafiri. - Mawasiliano yasiyofaa kati ya dereva na watazamaji Kuzuia ajali za nyuma - Kutumia mtazamaji aliyezoezwa na umakini kusaidia dereva kurudi nyuma magari yao. - Kufundisha wafanyakazi juu ya wapi blindspots ni na jinsi ya kuepuka kuwa katika yao - Kufunga kamera ya nyuma-kuona, sensorer backup, au mirrors ziada - Wafanyakazi wanapaswa kuvaa sahihi high-kuonekana usalama gear kwa urahisi spotted na madereva - Kufanya mara kwa mara usalama ukaguzi wa usalama wa tahadhari kuhakikisha wao ni kazi vizuri.