
Safe working conditions are not always guaranteed on construction sites with heavy machinery, loud noises, and dangerous chemicals. While safety and training are essential for ensuring a job site free from construction accidents, around 3 out of 100 full-time construction workers experience a workplace-related accident each year.
If you've been in a construction accident recently, it's wise to contact a construction site accident attorney to help navigate the legal system on your behalf.
Discover everything you need to know about construction accidents below.
How Likely Are Construction Accidents?
Construction is one of the most hazardous industries in the United States, with some of the highest injury cases per 100 hours worked by full-time employees.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that the construction industry sees an incident rate of 2.9 cases per 100 full-time employees. So, it’s likely that ~3 out of every 100 workers will experience a construction accident each year.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of accidents in the private construction sector was ~35,200 cases in 2021.
Common Construction Hazards and Accidents
Construction workers have different hazards depending on their specialty and job site. Some of the most common construction hazards and accidents include the following:
- Electrocution
- Getting struck by an object
- Getting caught in equipment
- Vehicle accidents
- Slips, trips, and falls
- Chemical exposure illnesses
- Ground collapses
- Repetitive motion injuries
The Fatal Four
The four common construction hazards are called the fatal four by most or the Construction Focus Four by OSHA. The four common construction accidents include workplace-related injuries from falls, being struck by an object, being caught in or between equipment, and electrocution.
In 2019, 64.3% of workplace fatalities in the construction industry were because of the fatal four, resulting in 709 deaths.
Types of Construction Injuries
While all construction injuries are unique, reported construction injuries can include the following:
- Broken bones
- Respiratory diseases
- Hearing-loss
- Brain injuries
- Amputation
- Eye injury
- Knee and ankle injury
- Neck, back, and spinal cord injury
- Death
Types of Losses From Construction Accidents
The worst loss from a construction accident is losing a loved one. Still, for those who survive a construction accident, there are other losses for which they may be entitled compensation.
Some of the losses you may experience from a construction accident include the following:
- Medical bills
- Pain and suffering, which includes emotional distress
- Lost earnings
- Replacement or repair of personal property
- Funeral expenses
What To Do if You’re in a Construction Accident
If you get injured in a construction accident, first inspect your injuries and call for help if needed. Seek medical attention and document the incident with photos if you can. Be sure to alert your supervisor or manager about the accident.
Contact a construction accident lawyer as soon as possible if you or someone you know has been in a construction accident and needs legal advice or action.
Don’t make any legal decisions without discussing the details with a professional construction accident lawyer, as it could pose roadblocks for future legal action. For example, accepting worker’s compensation may deny you from seeking future financial compensation for chronic pain resulting from a construction accident.
A construction accident lawyer can guide you through the next steps after an injury or accident to get proper compensation for your losses or plan an iron-clad defense strategy.
Conclusion
Construction accidents are devastating, stressful, and expensive. With around 3 out of 100 workers likely to experience an accident on a construction site, it’s important to know common accident types and how construction workers or employers can get compensation for their losses.
Seeking legal advice is an important step after experiencing a construction accident. A construction accident lawyer can help guide you through the steps and advocate for your compensation.
Now that you’ve learned everything you need to know about construction accidents, you can stay safe and get the legal action you deserve.