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Construction accidents are among the most common and catastrophic of all workers’ compensation claims. Considered one of the most dangerous workplaces for American workers, over 20 percent of work-related injuries were in construction in 2013. Four primary causes accounted for more than half of construction worker deaths last year: falls, being struck by an object, electrocutions, and getting caught between items. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has worked hard to decrease workplace fatalities by nearly 70 percent over the last four decades. Despite these great successes, accidents still do happen.
The most common construction-related injury is due to falls. Accounting for nearly 40 percent of all construction-related deaths, falls may occur from ill-maintained scaffolding, ladders, or from a fall over equipment left around the workplace. Workers are often working from distances far from the ground, with little to no support. Winds, inclement weather, defective equipment, poor training, and lack of stability may all account for falls in the construction zone workplace. If a person himself falls, he may cause injury to others working around him. Construction is particularly dangerous given the proximity with which the workers are working, the pace of the work environment, and the any of number of things that can happen with one seemingly small misstep.
Construction workers carry great risks by working near heavy machinery, bulky tools, and in close proximity to others that are using such tools. A wrench can slide off scaffolding and hit the worker on the floor below. A bucket full of concrete can be knocked off the roof onto workers below. Crush accidents are even more severe, and involve industrial equipment malfunctioning, which can cause a loss of limbs, severe injuries, or death. This happens often on roadways or on construction jobs that involve heavy machinery—digging trenches, flattening concrete, laying brick, etc. Construction workers on our roadways have the added concerns of relying on traffic to yield; an estimated 23 construction workers died in a designated work zone in 2008 alone.
Of the many dangers that can occur on a construction site, other occurrences that can cause fatal or severe injury include electrocution and use of defective tools. Defective tools can lead to electrocution, especially in inclement weather and in the absence of proper supervision. Construction sites often utilize significant amounts of energy, whether it be from overhead lights, electric tools, cranes, chargers, and automated pulley systems. This immense amount of wattage can be fatal in one misstep, making these types of accidents particularly catastrophic. When someone dies as a result of a work-related injury, workers’ compensation is likely an option. Wrongful death may be another option to explore if someone you know was killed on the job.
Any injury can have a significant impact on one’s physical, emotional, and financial well-being. Our Pennsylvania construction site accident attorneys at Solnick Lawyers are familiar with workers’ compensation, personal injury, and wrongful death cases in this area. We will work with you and your family to ensure your medical bills, future earnings, and dependent family members are taken care of to the greatest extent the law permits. We have familiarity working with the insurance companies who may ultimately pay out on your claims, and have the court experience to navigate the system to lead you to a favorable result. If you or anyone you know has been involved in a construction site accident or any other type of accident, contact us today and learn more about your legal rights.
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