These are the top four categories of loss on construction & industrial job sites. They constitute a growing number of preventable incidents, with clearly defined protective measures. Statistically, they represent nearly 24% of occupational losses annually. OSHA will likely target their presence and the effectiveness of controls in the inspection and investigation cycles.

The Focus Four are categories of Hazards. Specifically, they are

• FALLS
• Electrocutions
• Caught In or Between
• Struck By

Pre-job planning should be done to recognize and identify the presence or potential presence of these and other hazards in all work operations. Controls must be specified to address how employees will be protected against specific exposures. This can include the use of JHA’s, JSA’s, AHA’s and other planning activities.

Most safety programs contain some language or procedures addressing fall protection. Less commonly found is language addressing electrical exposures. Rarely do we see language directly aimed at Caught In or Between and Struck By hazards. This is because these last two categories have traditionally sat under the regulatory radar; there is no specific OSHA Standard aimed at controlling these two categories of hazard.

Most of the difficulty with Focus Four recognition lies in the last two categories, Struck By and Caught In or Between. Their numbers are heading off the chart. By contrast, the number of fatalities from Falls and Electrocutions are fairly stable. This is due to the ability of the average person to RECOGNIZE the hazard associated with a open hole in a roof or the presence of a big electrical cable running overhead on the job site.

We will discuss all of the categories and specifically describe how to recognize hazards, actual and potential and the controls available to address each hazard.