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Nationwide, the five most common types of construction injuries for which a Rutherfordton workers’ compensation lawyer can seek benefits on your behalf include:
- Equipment-related accidents
- Fall accidents
- Repetitive stress
- Exposure to harmful substances
- Motor vehicle accidents
Preventing the Five Most Common Types of Construction Injuries
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that construction and extraction workers suffered a total of 69,790 injuries in 2020. Such injuries most commonly resulted from the accident types listed above.
Keeping construction workers safe is the responsibility of all workers at all levels, from the top bosses to the third-party contractors who supply materials and equipment. Here are a few common (and, in some cases, legally mandated) ways to make sure construction workers can perform their job duties with minimum risk:
Construction Injury Type #1: Equipment-Related Accidents
Of the 23,350 instances of equipment-related accidents harming construction workers in 2020, 59 percent involved the worker being hit by something (e.g., a falling object). Most of the remainder is made up of workers who were thrown against or crushed by equipment. Such accidents can be prevented by:
- Properly securing and storing all materials so they do not fall and hit workers
- Maintaining equipment so it does not break or collapse
- Making sure no part of the equipment that workers use has been the subject of a recall
- Teaching employees how to use equipment safely and properly
- Establishing firm rules about how to use equipment and retraining those who take needless risks
Construction Injury Type #2: Falls From Heights
Most workers injured this way end up falling from one level to another. For example, workers can fall from ladders, scaffolds, or rooftops, leading to spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that the most common violation they see in the construction industry is inadequate fall protection for construction workers. Proper protective measures should involve:
- Providing fall protection equipment (e.g., harnesses) to employees
- Training employees in the use of fall protection equipment
- Setting up ladders and scaffolds in the right way
- Keeping ladders, scaffolds, and protective equipment in good repair
Construction Injury Type #3: Repetitive Stress
If a construction worker is forced to perform the same task over and over again—for example, lifting heavy objects or using the same power tool—this puts undue strain on one particular body part and can lead to an injury.
To prevent repetitive stress injuries, construction workers should be allowed breaks during repetitive tasks. They can also be given back belts and other gear that supports their bodies as they work.
Construction Injury Type #4: Exposure to Harmful Substances
Construction sites are often full of hazardous materials, including gas fumes from equipment and asbestos from old buildings. Such substances can cause short-term symptoms, such as breathing problems, and even long-term illnesses, such as cancer.
Workers should always be given protective safety equipment, including high-quality masks, when they have to work around such substances. If they are sickened by toxic exposure, they are allowed to seek workers’ comp, just like workers who suffer an injury.
Construction Injury Type #5: Motor Vehicle Accidents
Construction workers often rely on heavy equipment, like dump trucks and bulldozers. They may also work on or by busy roads where drivers do not bother to slow down despite knowing there are workers around.
Motor vehicle accident prevention is very similar to equipment accident protection: make sure all machinery is safe and well-maintained, and give workers the tools and proper training they need to operate that machinery.
Reporting Construction Workplace Violations
If someone at your workplace has violated one or more safety procedures, you have the right to report that violation to your local OSHA office without fear of reprisal. Contact Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC today if you need help.
How the Most Common Construction Injuries Affect Workers
According to the BLS, workers in the construction and extraction industries are more susceptible to injuries on certain parts of their bodies than others. In descending order, construction workers are most likely to sustain an injury to the:
- Upper extremities: Nearly half of upper extremity injuries involved a hand injury. Not only do construction workers use their hands to operate tools and machinery, the hands contain many small and delicate parts that are easily injured.
- Lower extremities: These were fairly evenly distributed among foot, knee, and ankle injuries.
- Trunk: As you may imagine, back injuries are common among workers who must lift heavy objects and twist and turn while performing their duties.
- Head: Eye injuries are especially common, making up 45 percent of all head injuries among this group of workers.
Long-Term Effects of Construction Injuries
Some construction workers are able to make a full recovery from a temporary partial or temporary total disability. Sadly, too many workers are not so fortunate, and you may find yourself:
- Dealing with an untimely and wrongful death in the family, including the emotional and financial toll that comes with such a loss
- Learning to live with a permanent partial or permanent total disability
- Having to find a new occupation because your disability prevents you from returning to construction work
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Getting Compensation for Common Types of Construction Injuries
A workers’ comp attorney can help you fight for the right amount of compensation based on your losses and needs after a construction site accident. If you believe that negligence contributed to your construction accident injuries, consider hiring a law firm to help you with:
- Investigating the cause of your accident to confirm that negligence was involved
- Calculating how much you should receive for medical care, lost wages, and disability
- Helping you apply for workers’ comp benefits within the relevant deadlines
- Speaking to other involved parties (your employer, their insurance company) on your behalf as they consider your case
- Working with other parties to negotiate fair compensation for you or figure out how to deal with challenges, such as a denial of your application
- Getting answers to key questions, such as how the application process works and how long it should take
Receiving Compensation After Any Type of Construction Injury
The attorneys at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, represent workers who have suffered one of the five most common types of construction site injuries and any other type of workplace accident. Call for a free case review today. Members of our team are standing by to tell you more about your rights and how we can protect them.
