While most work sites have their fair share of potential hazards that can pose risk of injury to employees, none offer more hazards than a construction site. Working from extreme heights, handling heavy and dangerous machinery, and being surrounded by not-yet stable building structures all contribute greatly towards Washington construction site accidents and injuries. While these dangers cannot be avoided, precautionary measures and strict adherence to federal safety guidelines can certainly decrease the likelihood of construction site accidents occurring, thus protecting construction site workers from sustaining sometimes catastrophic injuries that can forever alter their ways of life.
While on the job, there are numerous ways that a construction worker can become injured, such as those accidents that result from:
- Slips and Falls: The most prevalent type of accident associated with construction sites, and results when a construction worker loses his or her footing while atop a structure (such as scaffolding), descending from that structure and injuring him or herself upon collision with the below ground or equipment
- Electrocution: Heavy machinery can malfunction if not properly taken care of, posing the severe risk of electrocution in the event that the machine has deteriorated and become faulty
- Explosions: Construction sites often employ the use of explosives when tearing down buildings, and all such instances of explosive use must be properly performed to ensure that the safety of all those involved is of the utmost priority
- Crane Accidents: Heavy building materials, such as steel beams, cannot be hoisted to where they need to be installed without the use of cranes, which means that heavy building materials will ultimately be dangling from suspension cable high above where other individuals may be working
- Machinery Accidents: Tools such as nail guns and welding torches can cause significant injury if they are not used properly, and the necessary precautionary measures are put in place to ensure that the operator of the device is not put in harm’s way
- Scaffolding/Stairway Collapse: Many structures around a construction site are temporary, and as such are not as stable as they appear to be. Climbing these structures may result in their collapse if safety precautions are not set in place and instruction is not strictly adhered to in regard to the personal safety of workers and other construction site personnel
Injuries sustained at construction sites can range from minor cuts and lacerations, to more significant back and head injuries. Broken bones can render an individual unable to work during recovery time, while still other types of injuries may render an individual unable to ever again work as a construction worker. Some injuries can be life-threatening, while others can be life-altering. Serious risk of injury is ever present at construction sites, and the types of injuries are generally more severe than other on the job injuries given the dangers that inherently accompany all construction work.
If you or a loved one has been injured at a construction site, it is essential that you retain the services of an experienced Washington construction accident lawyer to ensure that your rights are not infringed upon in a court of law. The Bernard Law Group has years of experience handling personal injury cases that center-around construction site accidents. If you’ve been injured, don’t hesitate to contact our Seattle personal injury lawyers today for a free evaluation of your case.
