Each year, struck-by incidents remain a stubborn threat on construction sites, accounting for 10% of all construction fatalities and driving up direct costs to the tune of $9.4 billion annually (Source: CPWR, 2025; Liberty Mutual, 2025). But the true impact is more than a budget line—it’s project delays and crew downtime.
The good news: most struck-by accidents can be prevented with the right mix of rigorous protocols and smart technology. Today’s video intelligence platforms help safety teams catch unsafe behaviors and spot risks in real time—before they become incidents. In this guide, we’ll break down the real costs, root causes, and a practical framework for moving from a reactive to a proactive safety model, leveraging modern AI-powered video.
Why Struck-by Incidents Are a Critical Risk for Construction Teams
Struck-by accidents are more than a compliance headache—they’re a threat to productivity, safety culture, and project delivery. Here’s why these incidents hit construction operations so hard:
High Frequency, High Severity: Trucks, cranes, and heavy equipment cause three-quarters of struck-by fatalities on site (Source: CPWR, 2025).
Costly Claims: A single pedestrian struck-by incident can cost over $240,000 in direct medical and insurance costs (Source: Liberty Mutual, 2025).
Rising Work Zone Risks: 60% of highway contractors report work zone crashes, with incidents up 50% in the last decade (Source: AGC, 2025).
Indirect Costs: Beyond medical bills, project delays and legal settlements can spiral—one recent work zone intrusion led to a $37.3 million settlement (Source: CPWR, 2025).
Regulatory Pressure: OSHA penalties for struck-by violations average nearly $15,000 per incident in 2025, with the highest fines topping $79,400 (Source: OSHA, 2025).
The bottom line? Struck-by risk is a moving target—changing with every shift, crew, and weather pattern. That’s why construction leaders need a system that surfaces risks as they emerge, not just after the fact.
The Top 5 Causes of Struck-by Incidents in Construction—and How to Stop Them
Understanding why struck-by accidents happen is the first step to stopping them. Here are the five leading causes, with practical prevention advice and how AI-powered video can amplify team efforts.
1. Vehicle and Equipment Movement
The Hazard:
On a busy jobsite, a spotter steps into the blind spot of a reversing wheel loader. The operator, distracted by radio chatter and poor visibility, doesn’t see the spotter until it’s too late.
Traditional Prevention:
Strictly enforced equipment routes and exclusion zones.
Hand signals, high-visibility vests, and spotters for vehicle movement.
Regular “toolbox talks” about blind spots and reversing procedures.
How AI Amplifies Prevention:
AI-powered video analytics can monitor in real time for unauthorized entry into vehicle “no-go zones” and surface “forklift near-miss” events. By detecting when vehicles enter restricted areas or when workers stray too close to moving equipment, the system alerts supervisors instantly—giving teams the chance to intervene before a near-miss becomes an incident.
2. Falling Objects and Overhead Work
The Hazard:
During facade repairs, a worker on scaffolding drops a wrench. Below, a crew member—despite wearing a hard hat—takes a direct hit. Falling tools and materials are a leading cause of struck-by injuries, especially when exclusion zones aren’t clearly enforced.
Traditional Prevention:
Mandatory hard hats, safety glasses, and debris nets.
Tethering tools and securing materials at height.
Marked exclusion zones and warning signage below overhead work.
How AI Amplifies Prevention:
Video analytics can automatically flag when workers or unauthorized personnel enter exclusion zones beneath active overhead work. Reviewing these video events helps safety teams audit compliance and improve site layouts to keep crews out of harm’s way.
3. Unsecured or Poorly Maintained Equipment
The Hazard:
A forklift operator carries a load of beams across uneven ground. A sudden jolt causes one beam to slip—a ground worker narrowly avoids being struck. Inadequate equipment checks and rushed maintenance are frequent contributors to these events.
Traditional Prevention:
Pre-shift inspections and equipment maintenance logs.
Load securing protocols and use of safety guards.
Supervisor sign-off before moving oversized loads.
How AI Amplifies Prevention:
AI video can spot “forklift near-miss” events and recognize when equipment enters restricted or high-traffic pedestrian zones. Over time, this video evidence builds a data-driven case for targeted retraining or procedural changes—closing the loop between incident, investigation, and prevention.
4. Inadequate Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
The Hazard:
A subcontractor, rushing to meet a deadline, leaves his hard hat in the truck. Minutes later, he’s struck by a swinging pipe.
Traditional Prevention:
Mandatory PPE policies and site signage.
Supervisor walkthroughs and spot checks.
Safety briefings and “PPE check” reminders at shift start.
How AI Amplifies Prevention:
AI-powered cameras can detect “missing personal protective equipment” in real time, alerting supervisors when someone enters the jobsite without the required gear. This keeps compliance high and ensures every worker—especially short-term contractors—meets site safety standards.
5. Unauthorized Access and Poorly Defined Work Zones
The Hazard:
A delivery driver, unfamiliar with the site, takes a shortcut through an active demolition zone—unaware that overhead work is in progress. Poorly marked boundaries and lack of access control are a recipe for disaster.
Traditional Prevention:
Fencing, signage, and locked gates around high-hazard zones.
Badge or check-in systems for all site visitors.
Regular audits and “zone walks” to spot broken barriers.
How AI Amplifies Prevention:
Video intelligence can automatically identify when unauthorized personnel enter designated “no-go zones,” instantly alerting safety leads. This helps teams respond rapidly and enables root-cause analysis of repeated access violations—leading to better signage, training, or access controls.
Integrating a Modern AI Camera System: From NVR to AI Insights in Construction
Upgrading your safety tech doesn’t mean starting from scratch. Today’s AI video platforms are designed to bridge your existing on-premise cameras—old or new—to a secure, cloud-native dashboard. Here’s how a modern system stacks up:
Feature | Traditional NVR System | AI-Powered Video Intelligence |
|---|---|---|
Camera Compatibility | Often requires new cameras | Works with existing POE/legacy |
Storage | On-premise hardware | Secure, cloud-native, scalable |
Maintenance | Frequent, on-site | Minimal, remote updates |
User Access | Limited seats | Unlimited users, unified dashboard |
Video Review | Manual | AI-powered search & incident alerts |
Actionable Insights | Passive footage | Real-time alerts for no-go zone entry, missing PPE, near-miss events |
Unlike a standard NVR system, the AI layer analyzes video feeds in real time, surfacing critical safety events—like vehicles in no-go zones, missing PPE, or crowding—so your team can act proactively. No more scrubbing hours of footage after-the-fact. And since these platforms work with most existing POE cameras, you avoid costly “rip-and-replace” projects—just plug in, connect, and start capturing actionable insights.
Practical Tips for Construction Teams
Align Tech with Your Safety Program: Choose solutions that support your protocols for OSHA and ANSI compliance—like enforcing exclusion zones and PPE checks.
Evaluate Compatibility: Ensure your platform works with your current cameras and IT infrastructure—look for open APIs and unlimited user seats for collaborative safety.
Focus on Real-World Use Cases: Prioritize features that directly address your biggest risks—vehicle movement, falling objects, PPE compliance, and restricted zone access.
Plan for Scalability: Cloud storage means you can add cameras or users as your projects grow, with no extra hardware or maintenance headaches.
Empower Your Team: Give safety, operations, and IT staff easy access to insights, so everyone can play a proactive role in incident prevention.
Transform Construction Safety—Book a Safety Consultation
Every struck-by incident is a chance to build a safer, smarter operation. By combining proven safety protocols with real-time video intelligence, you can cut risk, speed up investigations, and make sure every worker gets home safe.
Ready to see how AI-powered video analytics can help your team tackle struck-by hazards—without overhauling your site? Book a consultation with Spot AI’s experts and get practical, actionable guidance tailored to your projects.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common causes of struck-by incidents on construction sites?
The leading causes are moving vehicles and heavy equipment, falling objects from overhead work, unsecured or poorly maintained equipment, inadequate use of PPE, and unauthorized access to restricted zones (Source: OSHA, 2025; CPWR, 2025).
How can construction sites improve prevention of vehicle and equipment-related incidents?
Define and enforce clear vehicle and pedestrian routes, use spotters, and leverage video analytics to automatically detect when vehicles or pedestrians enter no-go zones—helping teams intervene before a near-miss becomes an incident.
How does modern safety technology integrate with existing camera systems?
Current AI video platforms connect to your on-premise cameras—old or new—via plug-and-play hardware. This bridges your feeds to a cloud-native dashboard for real-time monitoring and incident detection, without the need for a full equipment replacement.
What compliance standards should construction organizations follow to prevent struck-by incidents?
OSHA standards (such as 1926.250 for material storage and 1926.1424 for equipment operation) require securing materials, PPE use, and hazard training. Leading teams go further by implementing exclusion zones, regular audits, and real-time monitoring systems (Source: OSHA, 2025).
How can AI video analytics help with incident investigations?
AI-powered systems flag and catalog incidents—such as unauthorized zone entry or missing PPE—making it easy to review, investigate, and resolve incidents. This speeds up reporting and helps demonstrate compliance during audits.
How can safety technology help reduce stress for safety managers?
By automating hazard detection and compliance monitoring, AI video analytics free safety managers from endless manual checks, allowing them to focus on training, planning, and supporting their teams proactively.
About the author
Joshua Foster, IT Specialist, Spot AI
Joshua Foster is an IT Specialist at Spot AI with hands-on experience in deploying, maintaining, and troubleshooting security camera systems for enterprise environments. He is passionate about helping businesses optimize their video surveillance for maximum uptime, safety, and operational insight.
