Increased Fatalities

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 985 construction workers in the United States died in 2015, which has increased 16 percent from 2012, when the total number of fatalities was 849. Construction workers have one of the most dangerous professions in the U.S, ranking above police officers, firefighters and electricians for the number of on-the-job deaths.

In 2004, the number of construction workers in the U.S. represented just under eight percent of the American workforce, yet experienced 22 percent of all fatal accidents along with an injury rate that was 71 percent above the average rate for all other occupations. These injuries and incidents not only represent a terrible toll in human life but also come with financial costs. The total cost for a year of all construction injuries and fatalities is estimated to be around $11.5 billion.

Currently more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the U.S. each year. Nearly 90 percent of these are fatal due to a lack of CPR and no available AED at the time of collapse. Approximately 10,000 of these are sudden cardiac arrest events that happen at work every year, with almost 1,000 of these being within the construction industry alone.

The only definitive treatment for SCA is effective CPR on a ratio of 30 chest compressions to two rescue breaths and a life-saving shock from an AED.

AEDs in Construction

If a worker suffers sudden cardiac arrest on a construction site, every minute that goes by without treatment reduces chance of survival. For every minute that passes after the victim has collapsed, their chance of survival decreases by 10 percent. The average time for the arrival of EMS to an emergency is seven minutes. Sadly, this can be too late for a victim of SCA if no treatment is administered during this time.

Immediate CPR can double or even triple an SCA victim’s chance of survival. Delivering CPR and defibrillation within the first three to five minutes of a cardiac arrest can increase the victim’s chance of survival from six percent to 74 percent. CPR knowledge is therefore essential for all construction workers as it could be the difference between life or death.

Although sudden cardiac arrest does not discriminate, meaning everyone is at risk with no one being completely immune from SCA, there are certain factors that can put people at a higher risk for experiencing an SCA. Between 70 percent and 89 percent of sudden cardiac arrests occur in men. The construction industry is very much a male dominated field, with males making up 91 percent of workers. In addition to this, the physically demanding nature of the industry makes the chances of a construction worker suffering a sudden cardiac arrest on the job even higher.

Construction sites are often difficult to access, which can increase the time it takes the EMS to arrive to an emergency at a construction site, impacting the victim’s chance of survival. In case of an on-the-job emergency, it is important to make sure workers are protected with an onsite AED to save precious time in the event of a cardiac arrest.

On November 21, 2017, a metro Atlantic construction worker, Carlos Moran, was saved after going into cardiac arrest following an electrocution on the site he was working on. A fellow co-worker had begun to deliver CPR when a police officer that was patrolling a nearby parking lot at the time went to investigate and then retrieved a city-issued AED from the patrol car. Ultimately it was the shock that had been administered by the AED that saved the victim’s life. These devices are therefore essential and should be available on construction sites to be used in incidents such as this.

In another recent incident, a worker suffered a cardiac arrest on a construction site, causing panic as there was no available AED. Workers on the scene admitted to having no CPR knowledge and did not know how to respond to the incident and felt that when they attempted CPR, it was incorrect. Thankfully a subcontractor who was working close by stepped in and provided hands-only CPR for more than 12 minutes: the time it took the EMS to arrive. EMS administered three shocks from an AED. Given the timing and lack of resources, the outcome could have been very different. An increase in CPR knowledge and the number of available AEDs is the best way to protect workers from a fatal sudden cardiac arrest.

Electrocution in Construction

Between the heavy physical labor, hazardous substances and the high chances of being injured on the job, construction is known to be a particularly high-risk occupation.

Electrocution, which can lead to cardiac arrest, makes up 82 percent of construction deaths. When there is a possibility of coming into contact with electricity, staff should work away from electrical wiring when possible, follow safe digging practices and ensure that employees onsite working with or around electrical energy are not alone.

NIOSH notes that electrocution victims can be revived if immediate CPR or defibrillation is provided within four minutes of an electrocution. AEDs have been made simple for laymen to use and follow instructions for the device to analyze the patient’s heart rhythm in order to advise whether or not a shock is needed.

Protect Workers

A risk assessment should be carried out to identify whether the area is safe to work in. AEDs are essential for all construction sites to reduce the number of deaths that occur on the job.

While SCA cannot be predicted, certain precautionary measures will help to prepare for an on the job incident. Have a phone nearby so EMS can be contacted immediately. First aid and CPR training should be provided to everyone and having an AED on each jobsite will provide life-saving treatment before EMS arrives. Ensuring the victim is in a viable state when the EMS arrive is the first step in the chain of survival.

It’s important to remember that without effective CPR and defibrillation, an SCA victim has very little chance of survival. Having an AED onsite and educating staff on how to use one in an emergency will ensure a construction site is prepared for the event of a cardiac emergency.