Construction Site Accidents

Falls are the most common accidents that occur on construction sites. Similarly, the failure to provide appropriate fall protection is one of the most frequently cited OSHA violations. All companies have to provide fall protection for certain scenarios, including things like offering guardrails for ramps and covering open skylights.

Up to 62% of construction workers are exposed to heights. For that reason, it is vital to use personal protection equipment (PPE) that is adequate for the job at hand. Construction workers often fall from chimneys, roofs, ladders, scaffolding, and more.

The severity of the person’s injuries depends on how far from the ground they were at the time of the fall, what they fell on, and even whether they were wearing any safety equipment. Although many types of safety equipment can prevent severe injuries, they cannot prevent all forms of harm.

Construction work requires the use of power for tools and other necessary machinery, and power lines can sometimes pose a severe danger. Electrocution is one of OSHA’s Big Four construction hazards, and it can occur from:

• Damaged power tools or other equipment
• Faulty wiring
• Improper use of extension cords
• Contact with live power lines

Because construction often takes place near power lines, it is possible to mistakenly hit them with equipment while working. To help protect workers, OSHA recommends that job site managers use the Assured Equipment Grounding Conductor Program and check all power equipment, plugs, attachments, and cord sets.

If the people in charge fail to provide adequate protection, electrocution can occur. This can have potentially fatal consequences.

A struck-by accident happens when a construction worker gets hit by falling, swinging, flying, or rolling objects. An example is a worker getting hit by a falling hammer. Because there are so many moving parts in a construction site, struck-by accidents are common.

These accidents can result in fatalities, so wearing the appropriate equipment is essential. Unfortunately, however, this is not always available at a job site. If you were injured by an object hitting you and you were not given adequate — or even any — protection, you may be able to seek compensation for the injuries you sustained.

Trips and slips represent the second-most common type of construction site accident, with only falls being more frequent. With all the tools, power cords, and other equipment at a construction site, it can be easy to trip over materials or slip on wet surfaces.

To maintain a safe site, your employer must keep the pathways clear of materials and tools. You must also place signs to warn people of any wet surfaces. If the person in charge of the site does not take these precautions, they can contribute to all kinds of accidents, from minor bruising to spinal injuries or even death.

Caught-between accidents occur when a worker gets trapped in the middle of two objects. They can happen when workers:

• Get pulled into machinery
• Suffer a cave-in when working in trenches
• Suffer compression between rolling, shifting, or sliding objects

To prevent these injuries, workers have to wear appropriate PPE. However, at many sites, PPE can be old, worn, or otherwise inadequate. There have to be protective systems in place for workers in trenches to prevent cave-ins.

Even if accidents have not yet occurred, the simple failure to put precautions in place can be grounds for a claim. This is because the construction site owners and managers are putting workers at risk every time they step foot on the site.

Even the best-trained construction worker can suffer injuries when using machinery. Machinery can malfunction, or it may not have been properly checked before beginning work. The maintenance schedules of the machines also plays a role.

In some instances, people who have not been properly trained gain access to a machine and end up hurting someone else as a result. These kinds of accidents can be devastating, in large part because the machinery you find in construction sites tends to be large, heavy, and very dangerous.

All kinds of items and circumstances can cause fires and explosions on construction sites. Some common causes are:

• Smoking on site
• Generators
• Faulty wiring
• Poor power tool maintenance
• Welding
• Portable heating sources

There are usually also combustible or flammable materials on a construction site, which contribute to the risk of explosions and fire. There have to be many fire extinguishers available on a site for that reason. Not having access to these tools can put you and other workers at serious risk.

Demolition is an important part of construction, but it can put you into contact with hazardous materials you may not know are there. Buildings might still have asbestos, lead, or other harmful chemicals.

There are also risks of unstable materials that could fall on workers. These types of accidents can be fatal or cause severe harm, like traumatic brain injuries.

If the construction is taking place on unstable ground, that ground can collapse, trapping workers and causing all kinds of injuries. For instance, wet soil might erode foundations, or the foundation may be unable to hold many workers. If the person in charge has not evaluated the state of the ground, a collapse is more likely.

Working at a construction site requires a lot of repetitive movements, including bending over, working in awkward positions, lifting heavy objects, and much more. All these movements can cause injuries like muscle strains.

A construction site has to follow ergonomic standards, but not all of them do. When they fail to do so, injuries occur that could have been avoided. Overexertion is a serious concern, but it is not always given the attention it deserves in a construction site.