Construction workers have a high rate of injury when compared to sedentary jobs. The last thing any worker wants is to be injured and unable to work for an extended period. Understanding what recourse that you have legally will depend on various details. The details include what state you work in, the insurance your employer has, and the circumstances you were injured under. There are major areas that tend to concern all construction workers. The following are the areas that come up as major concerns for those working in construction.
Unnecessary Dangerous Working Conditions
Being told to work during inclement weather to avoid falling behind is something that needs to be reported. Documenting this is imperative especially if someone is hurt due to lightning striking or some other weather-related event at a later date. Most construction workers will realize within a few days whether they are working a dangerous job or not.
Dangerous working conditions should be met with safer practices. This could be adding an extra person to do a specific task to cut down on mistakes. Always wearing safety equipment cannot be understated as injuries from falling debris happen. A small drop of a piece of equipment with the wrong footwear can lead to a foot being severed.
Regardless of how dangerous a job may seem, you should never throw basic safety standards out of the window. Ask about safety precautions to take if you are ever unsure as this is not something you should risk.
Inexperienced Worker Putting Others At Risk
The truth is that people all have to start somewhere in construction. The workers on a job site are going to be far more comfortable knowing they just have to worry about themselves. The danger of having someone without experience just to save a few dollars is overlooked by some contractors. The danger is not just present for the employee without experience but also everyone working with them.
Small mistakes can make a huge difference in safety. Training workers on the safest ways to handle certain tasks is imperative. A worker could have been employed by a company that encouraged them to take risks for the good of the job. If you feel pushed to work in unsafe conditions, you need to reach out to legal representation. The last thing you want is to be unable to work for a period or permanently due to the safety hazards a job poses.
Contractors that trust their teams might allow them to hire those they have worked with. The ability to trust that person that will not put you in danger provides peace of mind.
Falls From Any Height
A fall from any height can lead to serious injury. The injuries tend to get more serious as the height of the fall increases. Scaffolding accidents and those on a ladder happen far too frequently. Not all of these accidents can be prevented as mistakes do happen. Falls are the leading cause of death for construction workers at it can happen at nearly every project they take on. Goide and Siegel, a construction accident lawyer in NYC note this about falls. “In New York City, 29 out of 91 worker deaths in 2019 were in the construction industry. Trade workers alone accounted for 26 of the 29 fatalities. Falls were responsible for 23% of workplace deaths in the city.”
Toxic Chemical Exposure
A large construction project could be done on a pipeline that carries quite a few toxic chemicals. You do not want to find out years in advance that a single project costs you years of your life. Workers in New York City are a great example as so many revamps are happening of old structures. The danger is present in these projects due to chemicals and compounds used in the past for construction projects.
Illnesses like COPD can arise for construction workers that might not have realized they were exposed. Various cancers also can arise in the mouth, throat, and lungs. Listening to one’s body is important as you could have irritation of the throat or eyes. Protective gear should be provided unless otherwise stated in the employment contract.
Building Collapse Accidents
Working on an old building carries the risk of it collapsing. The structural integrity of a building needs to be checked extensively. Workers don’t get the benefit of knowing how thorough the inspection was which is a concern. While this does not happen very often, the impacts can be disastrous. A number of workers are killed annually due to structures that collapsed for one reason or another.
Safety will always be a concern for those working in construction as it is a major part of the job. Ensure your safety by keeping it a focus instead of sacrificing your health for a project.
