Construction is the most dangerous industry in the United States. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 20.5 percent of all workplace fatalities in 2014 affected construction workers. In that year, despite 47,217 state inspections and 36,163 federal inspections, 4,679 employees died on the job, and 4 million suffered serious injuries. If you were an unfortunate victim of a workplace accident, then one of your first calls should be to an injury attorney.
OSHA has a special term for the main causes of death within the construction industry: the “Fatal Four.” If you suffer injury on a work zone in Texas, then an Austin construction accident lawyer may be able to help you file a lawsuit against the liable parties. Call the Robson Law Firm at 512-345-8200 today to schedule a consultation.
Until then, read on to learn about the construction industry’s “Fatal Four:”
1. Falls
Falls cause the most deaths and injuries among construction workers. Improperly constructed scaffolds, misusing portable ladders and unprotected wall sides, openings and floor holes can all contribute to a fall. If a worker must climb 6 feet or higher above a lower level, then there must be personal fall arrest systems, guardrails or safety nets to protect him or her.
For additional safety, OSHA mandates that any cover over a floor hole must be able to support double the weight of equipment, materials and employees. This rule applies from the moment an employee creates a new floor hole.
2. Struck-by-Objects
Objects striking workers are also primary causes of catastrophic injuries and fatalities on Texas work zones. Struck-by-object accidents typically occur because of flying or falling items, vehicle and equipment malfunctions or accidents, and falling bricks while constructing new walls or other projects. These objects are often heavy and sharp, causing an array of life-changing injuries, such as a broken neck or skull fracture.
3. Electrocution
Construction workers can die or suffer terrible injuries when working with live power lines. They are also at risk of electrocution of if there is no ground-fault protection, improper use of extension cords or a missing path for the electricity to ground itself, or when they do not use equipment according to safety standards.
4. Caught-in-Between
Caught-in-between accidents are common on construction sites. Workers endure grave injuries, and some even die, when heavy objects trap or crush them.
These injuries typically occur when making trenches, which often cave in. They can also happen when shifting objects move and compress people, such as a semi-trailer and a loading dock.
The risk of a serious injury or wrongful death is high when you enter a construction site. If an injury to you or a loved one occurred because of a construction site accident, then you may be entitled to compensation. Call the Robson Law Firm at 512-345-8200 to discuss your legal options with a construction accident lawyer.