Why Struck-By Incidents Remain One of Canada's Deadliest Construction Hazards
Struck-by incidents consistently rank among the leading causes of serious injuries and fatalities in Canadian construction. They occur when workers are hit by moving vehicles, mobile equipment, falling materials, swinging loads, or flying debris. Despite advances in technology and safety systems, struck-by events remain highly prevalent due to equipment density, project congestion, and production pressures.
Across provinces such as Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan, employers continue to face enforcement scrutiny related to traffic control, equipment operation, and worker protection. These are not unpredictable accidents. They are foreseeable hazards that demand systematic prevention.
National Injury Data and Trends
Mobile equipment interaction remains a significant contributor to construction fatalities each year. Urban densification, infrastructure expansion, and multi-employer job sites are increasing worker exposure to heavy machinery. Key contributing factors include blind spots, lack of separation between pedestrians and vehicles, inadequate traffic management planning, and insufficient supervision.
Key takeaway: If workers and heavy equipment share space without engineered separation, the risk of fatal struck-by incidents increases dramatically.
The Four Primary Categories of Struck-By Hazards
- Flying objects: debris from cutting, grinding, or pressurized systems.
- Falling objects: materials dropped from height or unsecured loads.
- Swinging objects: crane loads or suspended materials shifting unexpectedly.
- Rolling or moving objects: dump trucks, loaders, skid steers, and reversing equipment.
Engineering Controls: The Most Effective Defense
Engineering controls provide the strongest protection because they eliminate or isolate the hazard rather than relying on worker behaviour: physical barriers separating pedestrian and equipment zones, dedicated travel lanes with clear signage and ground markings, backup cameras and proximity detection systems, overhead protection for falling-object hazards, and secured material storage systems.
Key takeaway: Administrative rules alone will not prevent struck-by fatalities. Physical separation and engineered safeguards must be prioritized.
Administrative Controls and Traffic Management Planning
Every project involving mobile equipment should have a documented Traffic Management Plan (TMP) identifying vehicle routes, pedestrian walkways, exclusion zones, and spotter protocols. Employers should conduct site-specific hazard assessments, designate trained and competent spotters, verify operator competency, implement high-visibility PPE requirements, and monitor compliance through active supervision.
Supervisor Accountability and Safety Leadership
Supervisors are critical to prevention. Production pressure must never override hazard control. Leaders must enforce exclusion zones, correct unsafe behaviours immediately, and model safety-first decision-making. Organizations with strong safety cultures empower workers to stop work when equipment-interaction risks become unsafe.
Impact on COR Audits and Regulatory Compliance
For employers in Certificate of Recognition (COR) programs, struck-by prevention directly impacts audit outcomes. Auditors evaluate hazard assessments, training records, inspection documentation, and supervisor competency. Failure to implement adequate traffic management or equipment safety controls can lead to audit deficiencies, regulatory penalties, and increased liability.
Practical Employer Action Plan for 2026
Employers should immediately review and update Traffic Management Plans, audit pedestrian and vehicle interaction zones, install physical barriers where feasible, conduct supervisor refresher training, analyze near-miss data for struck-by trends, and integrate struck-by prevention into toolbox talks.
Case Study Scenario: Equipment Blind Spot Fatality
Consider a worker who enters a loader blind spot without proper communication or a designated spotter. Without physical separation or proximity detection, the operator cannot see the worker. These incidents occur quickly and are often fatal. Proper planning and engineered controls would likely have prevented the outcome.
Prevention Requires Intentional Design and Leadership
Struck-by incidents are preventable when employers adopt a layered approach: engineering controls, administrative planning, active supervision, and cultural accountability. As Canadian construction projects grow in scale and complexity in 2026, proactive leadership and intentional hazard design will determine whether workers return home safely each day.
If you need help building traffic management plans or preparing struck-by controls for a COR audit, TruStar Safety can help.