How Are Construction Sites Hazardous?

In research that was recently published for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, there were approximately 1100 construction-affiliated fatalities in 2016. Those who are employed in construction-affiliated trades comprise only around 7% of the people in the United States. More than 22% of employee fatalities that took place were also linked to construction sites.

What is really sad about these numbers is that more than 65% of these fatalities could have easily been stopped. Keep reading for a  few of the principal reasons for these rates of construction site deaths and the actions that could be used to avoid them:

Falls

In excess of 33% of construction-related fatalities every year are because of falls. These job site falls normally happen due to precarious and unbalanced work surfaces, neglecting to use safety and protection equipment that is meant to ensure your safety in the event of a fall, and the dangerous or incorrect use of scaffolding and ladders. When trying to achieve the maximum amount of safeguard against most treacherous falls, you need to make sure that your ladders and your scaffolds meet the most recent safety requirements and that they are the proper length for the demands of the different building endeavors for which they will be utilized. You need to also make sure that your work flooring is solid, free from any faults, and that they provide the appropriate amount of friction.

Struck by Objects

The next common reason for construction site deaths is workers getting hit by objects. These sorts of incidents make up nearly 11% of the fatalities that occur at work. Vehicle accidents are another substantial component of this percentage. Ensuring that the vehicle operation guidelines do not omit vehicle routes that provide an unobstructed path for optimal vision, and the operators are able to circumvent putting themselves in between anything in motion and any fixed object. Improper handling of heavy machines such as cranes, pallet jacks, and forklifts also figures into these kinds of accidents. You need to always be sure that your workers are properly instructed about the proper use of all of the machines they are required to use. This will help you avoid fatalities and other harm coming to any drivers or any other workers.

Electrical Hazards

The risks of doing electrical work are fairly well known by most people, and yet electrical safety issues continue to account for more than 8% of all construction site deaths. Prior to beginning any work, you must always identify and physically locate all necessary utilities. If your employees are using any kind of equipment, then you will need to ensure that they have located any electric lines that may be overhead and that they are familiar with the up-to-date minimum safe distance rules. Making sure that you have provided your operators with appropriate tools can do a lot towards stopping an otherwise preventable accident. Platforms, ladders, and scaffolds all offer unique safety risks. Make certain that your employees are well trained so as to avoid any electrical dangers.

Here at the Los Angeles Injury Group, our attorneys are extremely skilled at filing workers compensation claims and receiving a favorable outcome. They also represent members of unions. If you or a loved one has been hurt in an accident that took place at a construction site, we are able to assist you in getting the worker’s compensation that the state of California says you are entitled to. If you would like a free consultation concerning your workplace injury case, then please get in touch with our attorneys by calling 310-954-7248 as soon as possible.