Workers in California and across the nation who are in jobs with an inherent amount of danger will understand the risks they face. This is especially poignant for people who work in the construction industry. Given the heights at which they work, the large pieces of equipment and trust in others necessary to complete any project large or small, these workers are vulnerable to accidents. For people who have suffered an injury while working construction or families who have lost a loved one in the course of employment, a legal filing is often the only available strategy to receive compensation.
For every five private industry deaths in the U.S., one occurs on a construction site. For 2016, that averaged out to 20 fatal construction accidents per week. Three of every 100 workers will be injured in a non-fatal accident on an annual basis. Often, these workers will miss time on the job because of it. These statistics from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration only count workers who are legal employees and frequently fail to include undocumented foreign workers.
It is a positive sign that the number of accidents is lower than what they were in the past. On average, the number of worker fatalities has lowered by nearly a third from 1970 to 2016. Injuries are down to just shy of three per 100 vs. almost 11 per 100 in 1972. Certain issues make the work dangerous, and there is little that can be done to make the jobsites completely safe. If, for example, there are subcontractors, deadlines, and new workers who might not be extensively experienced, it can lead to danger.
The most common reasons for death on construction sites are falls (38.7 percent); being hit by an object (9.4 percent); workers being electrocuted (8.3 percent); and being caught between objects (7.2 percent). Since the springtime generally brings construction projects and a greater chance of accidents, even the most vigilant workplaces will have incidents. Having an investigation into how and why they occurred is vital. It is also imperative for those who have suffered workplace injuries or lost a loved one know what steps to take to be compensated. A legal professional who understands all the dangers of high risk occupations can assist with a claim.
Source: builderonline.com, “Jobsite Injuries, Accidents, And Fatalities: Down But Not Out,” John McManus, Jan. 28, 2018