The potential of injury in the construction industry is always present even with the most advanced safety measures in place. An injury can be as ordinary as repetitive stress or as grave as death.
Some of the most common ways in which people have accidents within the construction industry are:-
Falling Accidents
There are many occasions where a construction worker is required to work at height using scaffolding. There are also many occasions where they are also needed to work at great heights when working on building exteriors. However falling from even a modest level can cause severe injury and even death.
Falling Objects
The cause of an accident may not be the construction worker falling but an object that has fallen. During any form of construction work, many materials that are broken, put together and moved around from place to place. This creates an ever changing environment that can result in an unsuspecting worker being struck by something falling from above.
Vehicle & Equipment Incident
Most construction projects entail the use of more than simple hand tools. It is a constant challenge for construction workers when working with complex construction equipment to complete the task on time and to do so safely. As the construction equipment becomes aged, the risk that surrounds them increases.
Exertion Injury
Within the construction industry there is more often than not a great amount of manual labour. At anytime that a person is physically exerting themselves there is always a possibility for injury. Some exertion injury’s can frequently include repetitive stress disorder, lifting strain and tendonitis.
Chemical Incidents
There is a major concern for construction workers when they are working with chemicals as spills and overexposure can be quite common. The uses of some harsh cleansers and lubricants that are often used in the construction industry are the cause of many incidents related to overexposure.
Fire & Explosions
Another reality of a construction site is the potential of fire and explosion which is sometimes caused by the chemicals used on the site. Volatile materials and the use of high pressure equipment can also be the cause of serious burns or worse.
Always following the safety regulations of the construction industry and always being aware of the potential dangers to you and your colleagues will go some way in helping you to recognise a hazard before it is too late.
Construction Accident Results
There are some results that can occur after the accident which are just as unfortunate. Many people are unaware of these results and are at a loss on how to deal with them when they occur.
Some of the results are:-
a) Large medical bills from the various injuries that occurred whilst on the job.
b) Loss of payment due to missed time at work.
c) Potential that the ability to perform your work after the injury is reduced.
d) Additional sick days beyond those available to you.
e) Possibility of pressure from co-workers and management to hide the injury or even fraudulently report the injury.
f) Reduced responsibilities and fewer shifts due to you only being able to do light work.
It can be very difficult to handle the problems after an injury as they tend to pile up. However it is especially difficult from a legal perspective.
Securing Good Legal Counsel
General practice lawyers are often not equipped to deal with the complexities of the construction industry. It is therefore very important to have legal counsel from a skilled construction law specialist to ensure that you are not susceptible to the urges of the construction firms and insurance companies.