The “fatal Four” leading causes of construction site fatalities

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a large regulatory body of the United States Department of Labor. The OSHA regulates construction sites to ensure the safety of the workers.

However, OSHA has fewer than 3,000 inspectors and there are over a million work sites throughout the country. These inspectors are overworked and there’s so much they can do.

Consequently, construction accidents remain a common occurrence. OSHA believes that eliminating workplace deaths related to the “fatal four” presents a great opportunity to eliminate workplace deaths by half. The “fatal four” include:

Generally, workers at construction sites are required to perform tasks hundreds of feet off the ground. When sufficient precautions are not in place, they are at great risk of suffering serious bodily harm.

Construction companies have a duty to provide safety equipment for their workers including harnesses, secure catwalks, fastened scaffolding, and other safety equipment to prevent construction falls. When such equipment is not provided and a fall occurs, an injured worker has the right to sue all negligent parties.

Typically, falls at construction sites occur for the following reasons: unguarded elevator shafts, poorly constructed scaffolding, fault ladders, debris, unmarked ditches, and excavation sites.

Where workers are not provided the training or equipment needed to safely perform their duties and are injured as a result of this negligence, they may be entitled to substantial compensation.

Construction workers account for a significant number of workers injured by electricity. Over 60 percent of fatal job site electrocutions occur within the construction industry, nationwide.

Most electric accidents on construction work sites in New York and nationwide can be avoided with proper training and equipment.

In New York City, where construction projects are constant, employers and government investigators must do a better job of protecting employees and ensure a safe working environment around electricity.

4 Common Forms of Electrocution within the Construction Industry

In New York, construction workers have to contend with many electrical hazards. Construction work sites often involve the use of heavy machinery and power tools. The continuous development and restoration of buildings require construction workers to navigate complex electrical setups, including power sources and exposed wiring which raises the risk of electrocution. There are four main types of electrical injuries sustained by construction workers:

Electric Shock 

Burns / Arc Blast

Deadly Electrocution

Fatal falls after a eletric 

In struck by an object accidents, workers are hit by objects that may be falling, rolling, swinging, or flying. Depending on the nature and size of an object, as well as the speed it is traveling when it hits a worker, a struck-by accident can result in a minor bruise or a life-threatening, even fatal, accident.

Common examples of “struck by an object accidents include: hit by a vehicle, falling debris, tools and structures. 

Construction companies must take reasonable precautions to prevent struck-by accidents from occurring. When companies fail to take adequate measures to ensure the safety of their employees, they may be held liable for injuries and subsequent losses that occur as a result.

Crushed in between two objects accidents occur when workers are captured, compressed, or squeezed in between two objects. These also include incidents where a worker is buried under a collapsed structure.

Normally, these accidents involve situations where:

• Improper use of heavy machinery

• Workers are not sufficiently trained on how to safely use equipment and machinery

• Inadequately maintained and unrepaired machinery

• Scaffolds are weakly constructed or loosely fastened

• Walls are not erected properly

• Trenches and excavation sites are not properly constructed

• Machinery is not locked down or is insufficiently guarded while not in use or during repairs

Crushed in between two objects accidents occur when workers are captured, compressed, or squeezed in between two objects. These also include incidents where a worker is buried under a collapsed structure.

Who Can Be Held Liable For A Construction Accident in New York?

While employers are exempt from personal injury lawsuits for construction accident injuries, it’s still possible to file a lawsuit against a 3rd party under New York Labor Law Section 200. These can include:

• Construction site owners

• General contractors

• Sub-contractors

• Prime contractors

• Equipment, retailers, or wholesalers

• Architects

Damages from A Construction Accident

If you were injured in a construction accident you may be entitled to damages other than those in connection with the physical injury.

Altogether, a NYC personal injury lawyer may assist you in the recovery of damages for:

• Pain and Suffering

• Reduction of future earning capacity

• Medical Expenses

• Therapy and counseling treatment

• Loss of consortium 

• Wrongful Death

Contact a Construction Accident Lawyer in NYC

Injured in a construction accident? Call Koenig Pierre, a New York construction accident lawyer that will investigate, diligently prepare and aggressively litigate the case. He will work with experts and use state-of-the-art technology and courtroom exhibits to demonstrate to the jury exactly how and why the accident occurred.

Call Koenig Pierre today at (800) 946-4616 for a free case evaluation. A construction accident lawyer representing clients in New York City, Nassau County, Suffolk County, Westchester County.