Anytime there are accidents involving people who are on the job, it is the responsibility of OSHA to investigate the situation and ensure the accidents do not happen again. OSHA also reports information on common workplace accidents, providing us with statistics and helpful information. According to their reports, the most common types of injury occurs on construction sites.
OSHA lists four specific injuries that happen in the workplace and that are referred to as the fatal four, including being struck by an object, falls, caught in machinery, and electrocution. Over half of deaths on the construction site (58.7%, in fact) occurred due to these four types of injuries. (HG) Let’s take a look at each of these types of accidents to give you a better idea of what they are.
Struck by an Object
Commonly, at a construction site, there will be people working on the ground as well as up above as new buildings are erected. As a result, there could be large, heavy objects being moved at any time by a crane. This could include something as small tools to things as large as concrete slabs. When wires and cables fail, it is possible for these things to fall, and this could mean workers on the ground are struck by objects. These types of accidents make up about 10% of the construction site injuries according to OSHA.
Falls
By far, the most common construction workplace injury would be falls. These accidents account for as much as 37% of all construction injuries. Falls can occur on the ground or up high depending on the situation, and they often result in severe injury like broken bones and backs or even death.
Caught in Machinery
This would be the smallest of the fatal four with only 2% of workplace construction site injuries. However, getting caught in machinery can happen, especially if the machinery is malfunctioning or the worker is not properly trained on how to use it. Either way, these injuries usually leave the worker permanently disabled as they can cause crushing damage to arms and legs.
Electrocution
Finally, there is electrocution, which makes up about 9% of construction site injuries. Often, workers will be exposed to raw electrical wires or they will be using electrical equipment in hazardous situations. As a result, they could suffer from electrocution injuries or even death.
It is estimated that if the fatal four injuries were eliminated, more than 500 deaths could be avoided each year. However, as it is, construction sites remain dangerous, and that means people who work there could easily get injured.
If you work in construction and you are involved in an accident, then you should make sure you have an experienced workers’ compensation attorney working for you. Workers’ compensation laws can be confusing to navigate and very difficult to understand, and that is why you will want to hire a Baltimore attorney with specific experience in the area. That way, you will know that you will be represented in the best possible way to receive the compensation that you deserve.
