What are the Main Causes of Accidents & Injuries on Construction Sites
Construction workers are exposed to life-threatening risks on a regular basis. Regulations that prevent deaths and serious construction injuries must be followed to keep workers protected while on the job site.
According to OSHA, more than 4,000 private industry workers are killed each year, and one-in-five of these fatal workplace accidents took place in the field of construction. Unfortunately, far too many construction companies take dangerous shortcuts when it comes to protecting their employees, leaving construction workers exposed to hazards that threaten their safety and their livelihoods.
Common Causes of Construction Accidents & Injuries Include:
- Falls – Construction sites often have high elevated structures, especially in urban environments, as a result, falls are the #1 cause of fatal injuries on construction sites. In one year, OSHA listed that falls caused 302 of the 828 total fatalities on construction sites. Construction workers are often required to work at heights on delicate structures such as ladders, scaffolding, and roofs. Workers who aren’t given proper safety gear, aren’t strapped in with fall protection, or instruction are at risk of falling from structures, which virtually guarantees severe brain injuries, spinal injuries or worse.
- Stuck by Object – “Struck by an object” is included in OSHA’s “fatal four” – the four leading causes of construction worker injuries and deaths on sites. Workers who were hit by an object made up approximately 10% percent of fatalities in the construction industry each year. When the force of an object creates an injury, it’s considered a struck-by injury – this can include being hit by a flying, falling, rotating object.
- Electrocution – Construction sites are generally a work in progress. Often found on construction sites are exposed wires and dangerous unfinished electrical systems. Coming into contact with electrical hazards may result in electrocution, which can cause burns, shock, explosions and even death. The most common types of electrocution accidents for construction include contact with hanging power lines, contact with bare wires, broken tools and incorrect use of extension cords. OSHA statistics demonstrate that electrocution is responsible for approximately 8 percent of fatal construction accidents each year.
- Vehicle Accidents – Many jobs on construction sites require workers to operate heavy machineries such as forklifts and other vehicles. If these vehicles aren’t accurately maintained or if workers aren’t sufficiently trained on how to run them, everyone on the job site can be put in jeopardy. Construction accidents and injuries involving motor vehicles are responsible for many injuries in the construction field. Transportation incidents can be a collision from loss of control, unexpected maneuvering or any event that results in bodily contact with a vehicle.
- Crane Collapse – Of the many vehicles that are common construction sites, cranes are arguably the most dangerous. Because of the large items that cranes carry, improper use or balancing of the machines makes it relatively easy for cranes to collapse entirely. Determining safe carrying weights and stability is a delicate act, and shortcuts or negligence, when it comes cranes on a construction site, can be deadly.
- Caught-In-Between – The last leading cause of construction accidents and injuries is “caught-in-between”. These are accidents where a worker’s body part is crushed, caught, or squeezed between two or more objects. A worker can be found in an “in-between” accident as a result collapsing materials – body parts pulled into heavy machinery and equipment malfunctions.
Have You Been Involved in a Construction Accident?
If you or a loved one has been injured at a construction site, you should contact a construction accident attorney immediately. The experienced construction site accident lawyers of Mazie Slater Katz & Freeman will protect your legal rights and help you gain the compensation you deserve. Call us today for a free consultation.