Millions of people in the United States work in the construction sector and spend at least five days a week at a construction site.
Construction work is one of the riskiest lines of work out there. Many construction workers suffer damages and injuries more seriously than workers in most other professions. If health and safety procedures aren’t implemented, construction sites can be very dangerous places to work. Sloppiness, mistakes, and negligence on construction sites result in thousands of employees being injured each year. Several factors can lead to construction-related mishaps. Understanding the root causes of accidents in construction job sites can be the best way to prevent potentially deadly accidents.
Most Common Causes Of Construction Site Accidents And Injuries
The construction industry is obviously a necessary part of the country’s economy. Today’s modern world would be impossible without our dedicated construction site workers. These include the many immigrants, green card holders, and undocumented individuals. The law protects all these construction workers, regardless of their status. And we owe them all a debt of gratitude for all they do. We would miss out on an essential service that helps us live in safe, well-built communities without our workers.
The following are the most common causes of construction site accidents:
Falling Accidents
Construction workers are more likely to be harmed because they operate at considerable heights. When fall accidents occur, they can result in severe injuries, even if they are unintentional.
According to Occupational Health and Safety Administration, falls accounted for more than 38% of all construction-related deaths in 2015. Making them the most common causes of construction accidents.
When an accident is caused by negligence, companies or contractors failing to meet construction safety standards can be held liable for the injuries. Even in instances where there is no obvious negligence, any height-related accident should be prevented and the law provides strict liability against owners of property and contractors for height-related accidents to construction site workers.
Electrocution
In half of all electrocution cases in job sites, the victim came into touch with live electrical equipment or power line.
A high voltage of electric current traveling through the body causes electrocution. Even if a construction worker is not exposed to electricity, electrocution risks exist.
When workers are not made aware of the electrified power sources on the worksite, electrocutions can happen.
Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents can occur in any job environment, from a corporate office or school to a bustling industrial facility or warehouse. Construction workers have the highest risk of a severe slip and fall accident on the job.
Construction workers on the ground floor or on scaffolding that’s several stories above. They have to deal with a wide variety of slip and fall dangers. These dangers might cause devastating injuries.
Construction sites are notorious for their high rate of slip-and-fall incidents. Employers should implement safety protocols and supply employees with the appropriate training and equipment.
Caught In/Between
One-tenth of all construction worker fatalities result from “caught-in-and-between” mishaps. Everyone on the sites must know how to recognize these hazards and respond to them.
Trapped between items or equipment is a common cause of construction worker deaths. Employees can become trapped, squashed, pinched, or compressed. Heavy machinery can compromise worker safety when there is no safety training.
Scaffold Accidents
Scaffolds are used by millions of construction workers every day. Workers are injured or killed on scaffolds because of failures in the planking or supports, slips or trips, or struck by a falling object. Injuries and deaths caused by falls from scaffolding may be avoided if these workers are protected from scaffolding-related events.
Many construction workers have to climb ladders and scaffolding daily. Many building and construction projects need these tools. But they can be dangerous and are one of the most common causes of construction site injuries.
Getting caught and involved in scaffold accidents is hazardous. Construction businesses should keep workers safe from these hazards and failures. If you have been injured due to a scaffold accident, seek help from an experienced construction site accident attorney. New York has strong worker protections for scaffold-related accidents on construction sites.
Struck by an Object
A construction worker is at risk of being struck by an object. Construction sites can be dangerous places to work. All construction workers face the risk of being hit by an object, regardless of the type of setting.
Workers and visitors to a building site have a right to a safe environment. Construction businesses must take all reasonable precautions. Contractors must provide essential Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to workers and visitors.
Vehicle Accidents and Malfunction
When operated, heavy construction equipment can be lethal. Workers can be injured while operating heavy machinery like a crane, bulldozer, or back-end loader. Loss of control can inflict significant injury or death to the driver and people at the site.
Each year, over 40,000 individuals are wounded or killed in work zones due to traffic and unsafe driving, according to labor statistics. While reckless drivers on public routes may represent a threat, they may also pose a danger while driving through construction zones.
Heavy machinery and trucks, falling or flying objects, and masonry or concrete walls under construction are the most common causes of injury and death for construction workers.
Dangerous or Defective Power Tools and Machinery
One of the leading causes of accidents at work is flaws in equipment design, manufacturing, or maintenance. Working with faulty items and equipment causes many people to get hurt or even die. Construction workers and employers on a building site should be aware of the dangers.
Human Error
It’s very common for people to do things wrong. Human error in building construction is just one example that can have bad consequences. Accidents caused by human error may be due to insufficient training, careless behavior, or lack of attention to one’s task. It can often result in deadly injuries.
Failure to Identify Unsafe Conditions
Workers, managers, and the CEO all have a role to play in identifying workplace dangers. Everyone in the organization should be on the lookout for them as well.
Identifying, reporting, and taking part in preventing occupational dangers should be required of every construction team member. If a dangerous condition is found, it should be addressed as soon as workable. The proper authorities, including OSHA and the DOB, should be contacted if unsafe conditions or conduct are discovered. As part of this effort, the reporting of near misses will prevent future incidents.
Failure to Follow Safety Precautions
Failures by employers or contractors to obey state and federal safety and health regulations result in the death or injury of workers and worksite visitors and bystanders.
Workers, visitors, contractors, and others can all be affected by these kinds of safety violations. It serves as the basis for a lawsuit alleging negligence or dangerous conditions.
Failure to Wear Appropriate Safety Protection
Wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) on the job protects workers from health and safety hazards. There are times when engineering and administrative measures are not possible or effective in reducing the danger of exposure to hazardous substances. Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be readily available on the worksite. It is incumbent upon the companies contracting to perform the work to provide all necessary PPE to their workers. This includes:
- helmets,
- safety gear,
- eye protection,
- high-visibility clothing,
- safety footwear,
- harnesses, and
- respiratory protective equipment.
The effective use of personal protective equipment in the workplace is essential to avoid catastrophic injury. In situations where PPE could save your life, it’s risky to forego its use.
Maintenance Error
Poor upkeep at a construction site by property owners, contractors, developers, and other construction contractors is ground for liability. An injured worker may be entitled to seek compensation for construction injuries and suffering in a third-party negligence lawsuit where an accident is caused by poor maintenance.
Most Common Injuries In Construction Accidents
Production, quality, and safety results are all related to the physical effort of the worker. Yet, the worker must function within the organization’s operational and organizational structures. While at work, employees’ attention can be divided between being focused and distracted.
Depending on the intensity of the incident, the above mishaps might cause several injuries. Injuries of any kind may be eligible for compensation.
- Burns
- Broken bones
- Muscle and ligament tears
- Neck and shoulder injuries
- Dehydration
- Heatstroke
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Diseases from toxic chemical exposure
Potential Compensatory Damages For Worksite Accident Victims
Most workplace injury lawsuits are based on the concept of negligence, like other types of personal injury claims. Under this premise, your construction accident lawyer must prove that:
- your construction company had an obligation to create a safe and healthy working environment for you,
- your company failed to meet that duty, and
- you were injured as a result of that failure.
Every case is different. Suppose your construction accident attorney can prove that these circumstances apply to yours. In that case, you have a strong chance of obtaining workers’ compensation for your injuries.
Actual damages are meant to offer the monetary amount necessary to replace what was lost. Usually, compensatory damages are granted in civil court disputes to compensate for damages, harm, or another incurred loss.
Compensatory damages are mainly for medical bills, hospital bills, rehabilitation expenses, and compensation for lost earnings.
Speak With A Construction Accident Lawyer For A Free Consultation
A construction disaster must be examined before any evidence of negligence or OSHA safety breaches “disappears.” Our personal injury law firm can provide free consultation protected by an attorney-client relationship. We have a passionate personal injury lawyer dedicated to protecting victims of construction accidents. If you are one of those injured construction workers on a construction site, contact us now for a free legal consultation and free case review with a work injury lawyer to learn more about your legal rights. You can reach us by phone at (646) 217-0749 or through our online contact form. With Us, It’s Personal.