5 Common Types Of Construction Site Accidents That Require A Lawyer

Construction is highly dangerous due to its physical nature and heavy-duty equipment use. Workers should be aware of potential hazards and seek help from a construction accident lawyer. Construction site accidents can result in significant physical injuries and financial hardships.

However, experienced attorneys from Jebaily Law Firm can fight for you like family. They can advocate for the compensation you deserve. They believe in protecting workers and ensuring their safety at work.

What Are The Common Construction Site Accidents?

Given below are some of the most common construction site accidents that call for legal intervention—

1. Slip And Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents are a common type of work-related accident, with over 1,000 workers dying annually due to these accidents.

The Occupational Health & Safety website reports that over 1.1 million workers sustain non-fatal injuries. Therefore, this results in workers taking time off due to annual slip and fall accidents.

Construction workers face the highest risk of injury in such accidents. Factors contributing to these accidents include the following:

• Wet floors.
• Loose floorboards.
• Uneven floors.
• Electrical cord and wire accidents.
• Unmarked hazards.
• Unsafe scaffolding.

Moreover, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) reports that 18% of all non-fatal workplace injuries require time off. Construction laborers face the highest risk of injury in work-related slip and fall accidents.

2. Electrocution

Construction work exposes workers to significant hazards, including electrical accidents caused by new wiring and boxes.

Over 1,500 workers were killed in ten years due to electrocution accidents, with nearly half occurring on construction job sites.

The main categories of accidents include contact with:

• Overhead power lines.
• Live wires.
• Transformers.
• Electrical currents while working with tools.
• Appliances.
• Machinery.

In addition to fatalities, electrocution incidents can cause long-lasting effects on workers, including electrical burns, heart stoppage, brain damage, and internal burns.

These injuries often require specialist treatment and long-term hospitalization or rehabilitation services.

Moreover, it is the third leading cause of fatalities among construction workers. Therefore, nearly half of the deaths occur on construction sites.

3. Equipment Related Accidents

Heavy machinery is essential in construction. They help reduce building time and increase productivity.

However, it can cause fatal accidents. Heavy equipment and machines such as the following reportedly cause these accidents:

• Rollovers.
• Collapses.
• Malfunctions.
• Machine collisions.

Rollovers occur when a machine loses balance, often due to operator negligence or poor maintenance. Collapses occur when a machine buckles under cargo and crumples, often with cranes.

Moreover, malfunctions occur when a machine loses grip or fails to perform its job, causing loss of control and accidental drop of heavy items on workers.

Machine collisions occur when a machine runs over a worker or pins them between surfaces. Unavoidable accidents are rarely the case, often due to negligence from employers, supervisors, or fellow workers.

4. Fires And Explosions

Construction is a highly dangerous occupational industry; fires and explosions are the most common hazards. These incidents can cause extensive property damage serious injuries to workers and pedestrians, and result in permanent impairment and loss of earning potential.

Rapid fire spreads can make it difficult for workers to evacuate, leading to burns, disfigurement, broken bones, and other injuries.

In some cases, construction site fires can even result in the death of innocent people, leaving families to cope with funeral arrangements and medical bills.

Unfortunately, many construction fires come from preventable sources, highlighting the need for safer work environments and practices.

5. Exposure To Harmful Substances

Due to lead and mercury in materials, chemical exposure injuries are prevalent in construction sites.

Workers often use power tools and are exposed to toxic substances, which can cause severe and sometimes fatal injuries.

These substances can be absorbed through the skin and inhaled, making them inherently at risk. Despite occupational guidelines, accidents still occur.

Moreover, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates employers to teach workers how to use chemicals safely.

Workers who sustain an injury may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits but may need more than the provided benefits.

Other legal options for compensation include third-party failure to comply with OSHA’s procedures and liability for manufacturers, distributors, and storage companies.

The Responsible Party For Construction Site Accidents

To decide who the responsible party is, you must first recognize the different liabilities of a construction site.

Therefore, liability in construction accidents can be categorized into the following categories:

• Workers’ compensation.
• Personal injury lawsuits.
• Premises liability claims.
• Product liability lawsuits.

Workers’ compensation benefits typically cover medical coverage and a portion of a worker’s salary for injuries sustained on the job.

However, workers’ comp may not apply to injuries caused by bystanders, customers, or independent contractors.

If you are not an employee, you can file a personal injury claim for damages, which the property owner, construction company, or general contractor may file.

Suppose the injury was caused by defective machinery.

Therefore, you can hold the manufacturer responsible. You could file a product liability claim if the product had a defective design or was manufactured defectively when sold to the buyer.

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