Construction Injury Hot Topics

Falls from Elevation

Falls are by far the leading cause for construction site injuries. While about 1000 construction workers will die while performing their job on construction sites this year, 33 percent of these fatalities will result from falls. Falls account for 15 percent of all accidental deaths, following motor vehicle fatalities. In the construction industry, falls involve an array of factors, presenting workers with various hazards.

Have falls from elevation caused you or someone you know to be injured on the job?  If so, contact one of our construction injury attorneys in your area today!

Fall-related injuries

Unprotected sides, wall openings and floor holes

Almost every construction site has certain sides, edges, and openings in the wall or holes that are not properly protected. As a result, falls or falling objects present dangerous situations for every construction worker.  In the event these hazards are not properly addressed on your worksite injury ranging from sprains and concussions to death may occur.

Avoiding hazards

• Use guardrail, safety net or fall arrest system
• Cover or sign holes as soon as they are created
• Every floor hole cover should support two times the weight of the workers

Improper scaffold construction

Generally the working area on a scaffold is very limited. However, construction workers still need to drag heavy equipment and building materials onto a scaffold in order to operate properly. However, many times, there is no fall protection and sometimes the scaffold is put up incorrectly. Injuries relating to improper scaffold construction may cause concussions, broken bones and even death.

Avoiding hazards

• Keep record of scaffold instructions and construct as proposed
• Put up guardrail system around all scaffold platforms
• Make sure scaffolds are easily accessible

Unguarded protruding steel rebar

Any protruding steel is a potential hazard and is dangerous for a construction worker. Stumbling onto unguarded rebars can pierce construction workers easily and lead to internal injuries or even death.

Avoiding hazards

• Apply rebar caps or similar protection devices to all protruding ends of steel rebars
• Especially when workers are present above the exposed rebar, add fall protection
• Bend the rebar about 45 degrees in order to avoid upright position of rebar

Misuse of portable ladder

The danger in ladders stems from the portability. Each time the ladder is moved and set up at a different place, there is the possibility of unsafe, improper positioning. The ladder may move while you are on it and you may lose your balance while getting on or off. Injuries resulting from unsteady or unsafe ladders may lead to broken bones, concussions or even death.

Avoiding hazards

• Ensure that the weight on the ladder can be supported
• Inspect the ladder for broken or cracked parts, steps, side rails etc
• Position the ladder with enough space on each side

Have falls from elevation caused you or someone you know to be injured on the job?  If so, contact one of our construction injury lawyers in your area today!

Fall-through events

Other major injury potentials are fall-through events. On a regular basis, construction workers fall through or from the following:

• Roof surfaces
• Skylights
• Existing floor openings
• Floor surfaces
• Roof surfaces
• Roof openings

Avoiding hazards

• Always protect and mark potential areas for fall-throughs
• Inspect the construction site frequently for new evolving fall-through hazards
• Add fall protection devices wherever you can

The construction industry is definitely one of the most dangerous sectors to work in. Every year, many workers are injured or even killed while working on construction sites. Depending on the nature of the accident, the worker might be entitled to compensation from his employer, a manufacturer of a defective product, a contractor or another worker. Unfortunately it is a complex process and numerous legal questions arise when it comes to identifying the responsible party.

Generally, workers are entitled to compensation if the injury occurred while working on his job. In this case, usually, a compensation claim is filed against the employer, which is then passed onto a state agency. If the injury clearly happened due to someone else’s negligence, the claim is filed against the responsible party. Besides co-workers general contractors, subcontractors and manufacturers can therefore also be brought to justice and held responsible for construction workers’ injuries.

If you are a construction worker who has been injured at a construction site, and if you would like to find out your legal rights about workers compensation, contact one of our construction injury attorneys in your area today!

Update: LV