The OSHA Focus Four Hazards
The OSHA Focus Four are the four hazards responsible for the majority of construction worker deaths: falls, struck-by, caught-in or -between, and electrocution. Falls are the single leading cause of construction fatalities. OSHA created the Focus Four initiative to concentrate training and enforcement on these four categories because controlling them prevents most serious construction incidents. Every site-specific safety plan, job hazard analysis, and toolbox talk program should address all four.
The four hazards and how to control them
| Hazard | Common causes | Primary controls |
|---|---|---|
| Falls | Unprotected edges, holes, roofs, ladders, scaffolds | Guardrails, personal fall arrest at 6 ft, covers, training (1926.501-503) |
| Struck-by | Vehicles, equipment, flying/falling objects, loads | Traffic control, hard hats, rigging, no workers under loads (1926.601-602) |
| Caught-in / -between | Trench cave-ins, unguarded machinery, pinch points | Protective systems in excavations, machine guarding, lockout (1926.651-652) |
| Electrocution | Overhead power lines, energized parts, damaged cords | GFCI, lockout, clearance from lines, cord inspection (1926.404-417) |
Why the Focus Four matter for your paperwork
The Focus Four are not just a training topic. They should be a stand-alone section in your written safety program, a line item on every job hazard analysis, and recurring subjects in your toolbox talks. When a GC or prequal reviewer reads your documents, they check that all four are addressed for the work you actually do; a roofing plan that thoroughly covers falls but ignores struck-by from material hoisting reads as incomplete.
Falls deserve the most attention because they cause the most deaths, but a plan that treats the other three as afterthoughts leaves real gaps. Each of your trade's tasks touches at least one Focus Four category.
Cover all four in minutes
TailgateDocs generates a site-specific safety plan ($49) and written safety program ($149) that address the Focus Four for your exact trade and scope, citing verified 29 CFR standards. Our free bilingual toolbox talks cover each hazard for weekly meetings, and the job hazard analysis ($29) breaks your task down hazard by hazard.
Common questions
▸What are the OSHA Focus Four?
Falls, struck-by, caught-in or -between, and electrocution. OSHA identifies these as the four hazards causing the most construction deaths and concentrates outreach training on them.
▸Which Focus Four hazard causes the most deaths?
Falls, by a wide margin. Falls to a lower level are consistently the leading cause of death in construction, which is why fall protection is required at 6 feet and carries its own training requirement.
▸Do I have to train on the Focus Four?
OSHA requires training on the hazards workers are exposed to, and the Focus Four cover most construction hazards. Outreach (OSHA 10 and 30) devotes required hours to them, and GCs expect your documents and toolbox talks to address all four.
Skip the template. Get the finished document.
1,200+ documents generated for 350+ contractors. Verified citations, ~4 minute delivery, free revision within 24 hours if a reviewer asks for changes.
Keep exploring
Free TRIR calculatorSign-in sheet generatorState requirements quizFree toolbox talks (EN/ES)Sample documents