Common Construction Site Safety Issues That Can Lead to Occupational Injury
Written by Ronemus & Vilensky on September 9, 2013
Construction site safety has become a paramount concern on construction projects. According to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of fatal workplace injuries in the private construction sector has increased by 5 percent from 738 in 2011 to 775 in 2012. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration has also found that the construction industry fatality rate is higher than the national average of workplace fatalities for all industries.
Therefore, it is vital for construction workers to know about construction site safety and the various circumstances that can lead to an on the job injury. While accidents can happen, however, you may have the ability to file a claim if your occupational injury was caused by negligence on the part of your contractor or employer. Ronemus & Vilensky’s experienced and compassionate NYC occupational injury attorneys can help you reach a speedy and just resolution to your occupational injury claim. Click here to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our occupational injury attorneys today.
Construction Site Safety Issues To Watch For
About 6.5 million people work daily at approximately 252,000 construction sites in the United States. It is important to consult with your contractor or supervisor’s construction site safety procedures, and to follow them closely to avoid being injured on the job. Nevertheless, it is important to be on the lookout for these common construction site safety issues, which have been identified by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration to be the most common sources of occupational injury and fatality in the workplace:
- Poorly-constructed or unstable scaffolding
- Falls from poor guardrail systems or elevated work surfaces
- Defective ladders and stairways
- Trench collapses
- Injuries from cranes and forklifts
- Poor hazard communication regarding chemicals, fires and other dangers.
- Injuries resulting from lack of protective headgear
Our NYC Occupational Injury Attorneys Can Help
Of course, following an employer or contractor’s construction site safety tips will not guarantee complete safety from injuries. Construction sites and workplaces involve not only complicated machinery, but also breathing hazards, uneven work surfaces, chemicals, scaffolding and other construction site safety hazards. However, if an employer or contractor has negligently put you in harm’s way while you’ve been doing your job, or have sustained injuries from things such as poorly-constructed scaffolding or improperly-maintained work surfaces, you may have standing to file a legal claim under tort law principle of negligence. A construction employee can file a legal claim against his or her employer if that employee can prove the following:
- The employer owed a duty to protect the employee (or a class of people that includes the employees) from the specific workplace harm in question.
- That employer breached its duty to protect its employees from the specific workplace injury in question.
- The employer’s breach of duty caused the employee’s injury.
- The injury the employee sustained is recognized under law as one under which the employee could collect damages.
Most on the job injury cases involving workplace accidents also involve additional legal intricacies and other details that require the assistance of a compassionate and experienced occupational injury attorney. Ronemus & Vilensky’s occupational injury attorneys in New York City have the legal experience and expertise necessary to advise you on your occupational injury and determine if you have a construction accident claim for being injured on the job. If your circumstances would entail a legal claim for your on the job injury, our attorneys will recommend your best legal courses of action, and work with you to reach a speedy and just resolution to your occupational injury claim.
Click here to schedule a complimentary consultation with a Ronemus & Vilensky occupational injury attorney. Let us help resolve your on the job injury claim and get you the compensation you deserve.