Construction Accidents

What Are the Top Causes of Construction Site Injuries & Death?

OSHA estimates that nearly 6.5 million individuals work at an average of 252,000 construction sites across the nation. Given the large workforce that constructs buildings and structures, safety should be a key issue. Unfortunately, injuries and death do happen and all too often. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an average of 908 deaths occur on construction sites each year. That number is far too high.

At Levinson Axelrod, we believe that construction workers should be protected against preventable accidents, such as:

• Scaffolding Accidents: Scaffolding structures are large, temporary units which are erected to allow workers to build at higher heights. They usually consist of metal poles or supports and moveable structures or platforms to stand on. They can be very dangerous for workers if they are not erected or maintained properly and therefore need to be inspected regularly.  Because of their height, scaffolding that is not secure or otherwise does not involve proper fall protection can be very dangerous and result in unnecessary falls, accidents or even deaths.
• Falls Related to Improper Safety Gear: One of the best ways to protect workers from unnecessary accidents is to wear proper fall protection, such as safety harnesses.  Similarly, open areas should be blocked off and properly protected.  Often times, unnecessary accidents occur because proper fall protection is not worn by workers or dangerous openings are left unprotected.  Because it is well known that workers on construction sites often will not wear proper safety equipment because they improperly think that it is uncomfortable to wear or takes too long to put on, the law imposes the burden on construction officials to ensure that construction workers are equipped with all the safety tools they need, such as hard hats, safety goggles or harnesses, making them liable if that does not occur.
• Electrocution: Electrocutions are the second highest cause for construction accidents. Construction sites often have numerous wires and electrical sources that are open to workers. They need to be protected and handled with special care. If not, workers can be very seriously injured.  
• Falling Objects: Construction sites regularly have people working on multiple different levels.  It is easy for workers to drop items or otherwise knock them down to other levels.  As a result, it is vitally important that safety precautions be taken to prevent machinery, equipment, tools or other materials from falling or rolling down to other levels or otherwise striking other workers.  
• Machinery Accidents: Construction workers usually handle very large machinery and deal with heavy materials. If one is not careful, they can be caught between a machine or concrete slat or something else. This can lead to lacerated appendages and broken bones.
• Improper Use of Equipment: The General Contractor or G.C. on a construction site has the obligation to ensure that not only do the workers on the worksite have the proper tools and equipment to perform their work, but that they are properly trained to use them.  As the General Contractor must coordinate the work being performed by the various trades, they must likewise ensure that these workers have the right equipment on site and know how to use it.   

At Levinson Axelrod, we believe that everyone has a right to work in a safe environment. While construction sites have the potential to be relatively dangerous places, run properly, workers have the right to leave work at the end of the day in the same condition that they were in when they first arrived there, without injury.  

Handling construction site accident cases involves special background, training and experience.  Not all law firms have the ability or resources to do so properly.  Make sure that the law firm that represents you or your loved one has a lifetime of experience handling construction site accident cases. Here at Levinson Axelrod, we have been representing injured construction workers for more than fifty years, handling both the Third Party and Worker's Compensation aspects of your potential case.        

We offer free case evaluations and are here to help form the best game plan for you.