Injuries due to construction activities occur way too often in the workforce. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) states that out of all the injuries recorded in a year, more than 9% is incurred by workers at construction sites. Out of every 100 construction workers around 4.3 of those workers encountered nonfatal injuries or illnesses due to job site activities. It should be noted that 22% of those injuries were the result of falls.
WHAT CONSTRUCTION WORKERS FACE
Let’s face it. Construction sites can be extremely dangerous. It is easy to see why construction sites can be dangerous given the use of powerful machines; work undertaken at great heights and employees working on open roads, just to name a few. Construction workers who have been injured on the job face medical problems and bills. As well as, recurring pain and financial loss due to missed days.
CAUSES OF INJURIES AT CONSTRUCTION SITES
Since all the work that happens at construction sites is physical, there are a lot of things that can go wrong and the causes are numerous and varied. Some of them are easily identifiable and rectifiable, while others, not so much. If you can familiarize yourself with the most common types of injuries, it can help you avoid them and save yourself a lot of suffering.
FALLS
Falls are one of the most common types of construction related injuries. People who work in construction are always at risk from falls. These injuries occur due to jobs involving the use of cranes, roofs, ladders, scaffoldings and other mechanical work at heights.
FALLING OBJECTS
Another common injury that has to do with heights is that of falling objects. Construction workers are at risk of getting hurt when something falls on them from a height. These can be anything from tools that workers use to unsecured construction materials. Also debris from ongoing work, or any other object on the site could fall. Falling objects can cause broken limbs, brain injuries, and spinal injuries even if you’re wearing the required protective gear.
EQUIPMENT RELATED INJURIES
Equipment being used at a construction sites can pose a serious threat to the workers. For instance, a piece of equipment could fail in an unsafe manner, start unexpectedly, or short circuit causing a fire or electrical shock. It is not uncommon for nail guns to unexpectedly discharge or dumpsters to fail due to overloading. This could especially happen if the equipment isn’t being taken care of, or if it’s defective. Forklift injuries occur often on jobsites.
CRUSHED BETWEEN OR BACKED OVER
Workers at any construction site always run the risk of being crushed or being run over by trucks, cars and other types of mobile equipment. These accidents could result due to other workers not paying attention to the safety guidelines or they could be because of the negligence of the site manager or supervisor.
FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS
Fires and explosions are not as common as other types of accidents, however when they happen they typically result in serious injuries. They can occur due to a multitude of reasons like the presence of flammable chemicals. Additionally, exposed wiring, leaking pipes, and build-up of gas in closed chambers can cause explosions.
WHAT TO DO WHEN INJURED
If you have been at the receiving end of an accident injury, your best bet is to consult a personal injury attorney who can help examine your case and help you determine whether you have to file a worker’s compensation claim or a lawsuit. At the Walker Law Firm, we specialize in helping people receive just compensation for their on the job injuries at construction sites.
