Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/536721
EquipmentWorld.com | July 2015 11 reporter | by Equipment World staff A n interactive map that seeks to plot out all available reports of workplace deaths in the U.S. during 2014 offers a sobering reminder of just how danger- ous construction work can be. The map, released on Workers' Memorial Day (April 28) is published by Global Worker Watch (GWW) and composed through the efforts of researchers scour- ing media reports, victim family reports and avail- able data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. When hovered over, each dot on the map displays the location and any available information on the circumstances surrounding the fatalities. Because it depends on what is available, the map likely only represents one-third of all workplace deaths in 2014, GWW says. Construction by far accounts for the most deaths among all surveyed industries with 648 deaths in 2014. The most up-to-date offi cial construction fatal- ity tally available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is from 2013. The BLS reports 828 construction work- ers died in 2013 – the highest number of deaths seen in the industry since 2009. With that number in mind, and given the sharp increase in construction activity in the last year, the GWW data plotted in the interac- tive map is likely a low estimation of what the real 2014 numbers will be. Even though the estimates are likely low, the map serves as a grim reminder of the importance of safety while on the job and it offers the ability to quickly drill down to a state and local region level. You can view the interactive map by visiting www.global- workerwatch.org/2014-us-fatalities.html. – Wayne Grayson Interactive map of workplace deaths a stark reminder of construction's dangers City of Lexington uses high-tech SUV to analyze pavement conditions and prioritize projects L exington, Kentucky, offi cials are spending near- ly $400,000 to assess the condition of the city's roads using lasers, cameras, and GPS equip- ment in an effort to better prioritize repaving and repair projects on the 4,024 streets the city maintains. "Maintaining basic infrastructure like roads is a key responsibility of local government," says Lex- ington Mayor Jim Gray. "Over the past fi ve years, the city has committed nearly $38 million to road paving, more than any other fi ve year period. An- other $10 million for paving is proposed in the new budget. Data collected by the digital survey vehicle will help council members determine paving priori- ties and identify roads where short-term repairs can be made." The system, provided by Applied Research As- sociates and mounted on a Ford Expedition, takes photos every 20 feet and measures changes in road surfaces within one-thousands of an inch. The GPS equipment provides exact locations for the photos and measurements. Applied Research Associates will crunch the numbers from the data to rate streets on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 being the quality of new pavement. The assessment will cover 40 to 50 miles each day over the course of several weeks. "The data collected will be good for up to three years and will help us determine the best way to fi x each street – whether that's through crack sealant, microsurfacing, or traditional mill and overlay – sav- ing money in the long run," says David Holmes, commissioner of environmental quality and public works. – Chris Hill