There are many dangers within a construction site that can cause accidents and injury without proper safety measures. Of course, with certain precautions taken, mishaps can still be a common thing on construction contractor sites.
These construction site mishaps that lead to worker injury or fatality have a few notable causes. Knowing which events happen most frequently will enable the management of construction firms to target those areas where risk is most probable.
So, continue reading before you look for personal injury accident lawyer near me.
Falls
Of all construction site occurrences, falls account for a third or 30% of construction site mishaps. Employees may slip and drop from the roof or from scaffoldings or ladders if precautions such as rails or harnesses are not in place.
Apart from slipping, the following other conditions increase the likelihood of falls: Walking surfaces which are inclined and wet, icy, oily or obstructed by water or debris. Employers have the task of ensuring that proper protective gear for employees who work at heights is available and that they use it.
Maintenance habits in regard to walking surfaces and structures permit identification of fall hazards and their correction prior to incident. Other protocol includes cleanliness through tidiness of the working areas by washing floors, wiping spills and removing clutter.
Struck By Objects
In the construction industry, all sorts of objects falling on a worker or objects in motion can hit a construction worker. Any object which has not been anchored down may become dangerous flying objects in construction sites that have high traffic.
Employers must insist on hard hat wearing and the region below workers should be closed. Daily or weekly check of the rigging, crane, platform and areas where materials are stored should be initiated.
Where there are struck by hazards, any damaged equipment has to be withdrawn from use in areas accessible to the public. Timely cleaning on the other also minimizes clutter and tangible items harming people below when knocked from the working level.
Electrocution
There are electrical risks all over construction sites, which may cause electrocutions. Extension cords, portable cords for temporary wiring, several types of power tools, and certain types of equipment can come into contact with juice because of worn insulation or misuse.
Employers have to make sure all electrical works conform to the regulations & ground faults circuit interrupters, are to be used in the connection of temporary power.
Additional measures like the lock out tag out procedures used when the machines are locked out during service is also very important.
This standard prohibits ordinary people from doing the wiring work, while electrical components should undergo a visual check before use. Electrical hazards noted should be removed when working for possible electrocutions before proceeding with the work in progress.
Caught In/Between
Employees engaged in construction working can often suffer from area hazards such as being trapped between or sandwiched between vehicles/equipment and walls in the course of activities during construction processes.
Lock out tag out is especially required when guards are withdrawn from the equipment for servicing purpose. Other equipment such as forklifts should be fitted with audible reverse alarms and tested while bulldozers too should also carry the reverse alarms.
The fifth one is, good housekeeping rules out dust and liquid that accumulate and form a hurdle when slipping into the machinery.
Employers have to recognize caught in/between hazards with the help of personal injury lawyers near me and try to cover them with guards and barriers or to establish rigid-safety rules. For any unusual task planned, pre-task safety briefings give special focus to caught in hazards.
Conclusion
Construction site involves hosting of a number of risks that often cause the workers to have accidents, injuries among others. Nevertheless, the types of injury often associated with falling from a height, by being struck, being electrocuted, being caught between or in between objects, and in vehicle mishaps can be prevented by having an effective safety program in place.
The construction firms are able to target these high-risk areas by providing awareness, planning, training, and routine inspections.
Specific safety measures deployed on site address the common causes of accidents and at the same time guard the employees while simultaneously preventing occasions of loss of working days.
