Spike In Tennessee Workplace Fatalities Blamed On Construction Boom

A spike in on-the-job fatalities in Tennessee has safety officials on high alert. Last month alone, 10 workers died.

Usually, most workplace deaths occur in the manufacturing sector. Of the 10 deaths in July, some were in
factories. One was an incident involving a
garbage truck. And four were on construction sites, according to the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

TOSHA administrator Steve Hawkins says most of the construction workers died because of a fall, and their deaths were likely preventable. He calls the spike “alarming,” far surpassing a single month in recent memory.

“There’s an influx of new employees to Tennessee. There may be employees attracted to construction who have not worked in the field before,” Hawkins says. “We just know that there has been an increased number of fatalities in the month of July — a very large increase.”

Hawkins says most of the fatalities have resulted in citations and fines for the employer. He’s encouraging them to review safety procedures with workers. His agency also offers free consultations and will even send out a safety inspector at no charge who will point out violations without imposing fines.