Construction work is without question among the most dangerous fields. For workers and laborers these dangers are typically created by unsafe environments, lack of proper safety gear, and/or lack of precautions on the part of contractors and construction companies, etc. Statistics show that immigrant workers are most often injured or killed in construction accidents in New York City that are caused by worksite violations.
How Serious is the Problem?
According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 5,190 workers were killed on the job in 2016. On average, that adds up to more than 99 fatalities a week or more than 14 deaths each day. Out of 4,693 worker fatalities that occurred in private industry in the calendar year 2016, 991 or 21.1 percent were in construction. So, one in five worker deaths that year were in construction.
The four leading causes of construction fatalities – falls, struck-by incidents, electrocution, and caught in/between accidents – were responsible for 63.7 percent of construction worker deaths in 2016. OSHA estimates that eliminating these “Fatal Four” would save 631 workers’ lives in the United States each year. Sadly, a number of these deaths are caused by the violation of OSHA standards, which exist to create safer work conditions.
Here are some of the most frequently violated OSHA standards:
• Fall protection
• Scaffolding requirements
• Ladder safety standards
• Respiratory protection
• Eye and ear protection
• Machinery and machine guarding
• Training for fall protection
Preventing Construction Accidents
Here are five tips to help prevent construction accidents that may result in injuries or fatalities:
1. Provide workers with protective equipment. Most important are fall protection devices such as harnesses and safety nets that may prevent workers from falling from heights and suffering catastrophic if not fatal injuries. Construction workers should also have sufficient training to use these devices in a language they can comprehend. Construction workers also need other types of protection such as respiratory machines, safety goggles to protect their eyes, hearing protection, etc.
2. Post clear warning signs. Wires and high voltage areas should be clearly marked and electricity should be deactivated. Areas should be marked with pylons, cones and ropes to prevent people from accidentally moving into areas where they may get hit by falling debris or slip on liquids or other substances. These signs, which must be marked clearly and in languages workers are familiar with, may help save lives.
3. Provide proper job training and supervision. Workers must be well trained to do the job for which they have been hired. They should also receive adequate supervision by an experienced supervisor who can keep an eye on changing workplace conditions such as a potential trench collapse or high winds that may tip over cranes or cause scaffolding to collapse.
4. Set clear procedures for vehicle operation in construction sites. Vehicle-only areas should be designated with signs or barriers to make sure workers know where they should not be walking. If workers are operating in the dark, they should be wearing fluorescent vests and clothing so they are visible to vehicles operating in the area. Also, make sure that vehicles are always inspected before use, especially the brakes and reversing lights and beepers.
5. Scaffolding safety should be maintained at all times. A majority of construction workers and laborers operate on scaffolds at some point. Scaffolds should only be erected, moved and dismantled under proper supervision. A supervisor must inspect scaffolds and rigging regularly. Damaged parts should be replaced or repaired right away.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Workers who are injured in construction accidents can seek workers’ compensation benefits. Families of workers who are killed in construction accidents may be able to seek death benefits as well. In addition, victims may be able to file a third-party claim against a party other than an employer or co-employees and seek compensation for their injuries, damages or losses. This allows victims and their families to have two sources of compensation available to them. Examples of third parties include general contractors, sub-contractors, building owners, property managers, etc.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction accident, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. Our law firm recovered $3,375,576 for a construction worker (an undocumented immigrant) who was injured on the job – one of the highest construction case settlements in New York that year.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com