If you work on a construction site, it can be a dangerous work environment, especially if health and safety guidelines aren’t followed correctly. Regardless of how long you’ve worked in construction, or how well you know the site you’re on, accidents do occur. Here are five of the most common causes of accidents on construction sites, as well as what steps to take should you find yourself in one.
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Whether it’s holes in the ground, building equipment, or loose cables, all three can increase your risk of a slip, trip, or fall on a construction site. Employers are ordered to prevent the risk of these accidents from occurring, such as by ensuring walkways are clear of obstructions and reporting hazards to management. If you have a slip and fall on a construction site, you can hire a work place injury attorney from a firm like Oresky who are often hired by the victims to help with their lawsuits or workman’s compensation claims.
Falls from Height
Unsecured ladders, faulty scaffolding, and a lack of safety railings can increase the risk of a fall from a height on a construction site. Should you fall from a great height, you can sustain extensive injuries to the spine, brain, and head. In some instances, these can prove to be fatal. Employers have a legal responsibility to provide employees with the right training and personal protection equipment, and they need to carry out regular risk assessments.
Electric Shock
On a construction site, there is lots of electrical equipment. If it isn’t used in the right manner, or there is a fault with the equipment, this can result in an electric shock injury. These can include scarring, burns, or long-term nerve damage. In the worst-case scenario, electric shock injuries can be fatal. Employers have an obligation to ensure only qualified employees conduct electrical work, and they need to carry out frequent safety and maintenance checks on electrical machinery and tools.
Defective Equipment
As a construction worker, you would assume that tools and equipment would be safe to use and in working order. Sadly, this is not always the case, which means accidents occur. Should you use defective or faulty equipment, you can receive extensive injuries that could see you out of work. Employers must provide the right personal protection equipment, inspect machinery and tools regularly, and conduct thorough health and safety assessments.
Manual Handling
If you’re responsible for lifting, pulling, or transporting heavy loads, you will be at risk of getting a manual handling injury. Should you try and shift objects that are too heavy, or you aren’t using the right techniques that you’ve been taught in training, you could be putting yourself in harm’s way. Employers have a duty to provide training to all employees to stop this from happening.
While there is an increased focus on construction site health and safety, that’s not to say that accidents do not take place. If you experience any of the injuries above, make sure you hire a reputable construction accident injury lawyer who can assist you with your case.
