Industry

A Few of the Most Common Causes of Injuries in the Construction Industry

Let’s start this article off with a universal fact about construction workers in general- “Construction work is a dangerous job indeed.”

The photomontage depicted below sums this up perfectly.

photomontage

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction industry experienced roundabout 781 fatal injuries in the year 2011. The number of deaths occurring at that point in time was substantially more than any other industry in the US.

Labor Statistics

Anyway, in this article, we are going to take a peek at a few of the commonest causes of fatal and non-fatal injuries in the construction industries.

If you are one who is involved heavily in this specific field of industry, you need to pay special attention to these points so that you don’t fall victim to them very easily in future. Let’s begin.

1. Accidental fall from height

Accidental fall

Accidental falls from heights are one of the commonest causes of injuries in construction sites which may result in injuries ranging from fractures to broken bones to even fatal head injuries.

You, as a worker should be aware of a few rights (as far as accidental falls are concerned) that are made in your favor by the LAW.

An employer has a duty to keep his/her workers safe from all possible workplace hazards. The employer must also ensure that the workplace has a safe accessibility to all routes to and from the site.”

In case the employer fails to maintain the safety requirements as mentioned by the law, the act on his/her end will be judged in the form an offense and s/he might be answerable to the government as a result of the same.

2. Electrocutions, as a result of carelessness

Construction sites often have a collection of exposed wirings and power lines, especially due to the fact that a construction site is an overall “work in progress.”

Electrocutions

Coming into contact with things like an exposed wire as a result of carelessness or accident may result in an electrocution or shock which, in extreme cases may lead to deaths. Hence, this qualifies as one of the most common and one of the most serious injuries in construction industries.

3. Falling objects

Falling objects

Things like falling debris or heavy-weight objects can really cause injuries in workplaces if they aren’t brought under a certain degree of control.

Falling debris is a common problem of multi-storied constructions.

In extreme cases, they may even result in deaths and destructions. The employer must be aware of these things and should take all necessary precautions to prevent the same from happening to the best of his/her abilities.

4. Exposure to harmful substances

Contact with irritants such as carbon monoxide or asbestos dust can have a significant impact on workers in general.

Some of the commonest workplace accidents occur in situations where the worker comes into contact with the aforementioned hazardous substances. Hence, proper safety equipment must be provided by the employer to keep such incidents at bay in the best possible manner.

5. Explosion fires

Explosion fires are a common occurrence in construction sites as a result of unfinished piping, exposed wiring, combustible gas leakage and other similar issues.

The effect can get devastating indeed if it gets way beyond control, and may result in excessive destructions and increased fatalities. The employer should therefore always keep a tab on this and take all necessary precautions to prevent them from happening to the best of his/her abilities.

The consequences of the injury

In case a construction worker gets himself/herself injured on duty, it doesn’t only affect his/her mental health in particular, but it can also affect the entire mentality of the family.

Their medical bills increase a lot and may sometimes go way beyond the financial ability of the family (in certain serious circumstances).

In such situations, victims do have the choice to sign up for a claim in case they can prove the fact that the entire ordeal that happened as a result of the employer’s negligence.

So that’s pretty much it for now then. It’s time to bring this article to a close for now. Hope you had a good read.

by https://www.pastranalaw.com/

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