The list of all the potentially deadly elements on a construction site is surprisingly long. From the temporary power supply to the machinery you use, there are countless threats to your safety and well-being.
Instead of ignoring these concerns because they are too numerous for you to control, the better approach would be for you to prioritize avoiding or minimizing the biggest risk factors. Certain kinds of construction accidents are more common than others and are therefore responsible for more workplace accidents and injuries.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the following four kinds of workplace accidents are responsible for roughly 90% of all deaths at construction sites.
Electrocution
Electricity is a necessity in modern houses and at construction sites, but it is a major contributing factor to worker risks. From coming into contact with frayed supply lines to accidentally cutting through a wire, there are countless ways that a worker could potentially get hurt because of electricity at a construction site.
Caught-in and caught-between accidents
One of the most dangerous tasks at a construction site is trenching. Trenching is the process of removing earth, possibly for a foundation, and the hazards are obvious. The earth could settle, sliding in and trapping someone against the wall. Machinery could cause a similar issue.
Excavation is not the only source of caught-in or caught-between accidents. People can get hurt or pulled into machinery or trapped by heavy equipment.
Struck-by incidents
You can group struck by workplace injuries into two main categories. One involves machinery and heavy equipment, such as when someone gets hit by a hi-lo because they don’t hear it coming. The second category involves the movement or elevation of heavy equipment. Especially when lifting it up to an elevation or lowering it back down, the risk is there for items to swing and strike someone or even for ropes and chains to break, leading to falling objects that hit someone.
Falls
The number one risk factor on a construction site is the possibility of a fall. Many falls are fatal, and they are often preventable. Adequate restraints and safety gear, as well as employment practices that put safety over efficiency, can potentially prevent worker Falls and the tragedies that they create.
Identifying your biggest risk factors for getting hurt on the job could help keep you safe or could at least help you recognize when you have a straightforward compensation claim. Getting compensation after a construction accident will help you until you can return to work.
