Construction Site Slips, Trips, and Falls
Slips, trips, and falls on a construction site are the leading cause of injuries and fatalities in the construction industry. The National Safety Council (NSC) reported 370 fatal slip, trip, and fall construction accidents in 2016, which accounted for one-third of all construction fatalities that year.
Surgeries, hospitalizations, and long recovery periods associated with these accidents cost employers and workers millions of dollars annually.
The Philadelphia construction accident lawyers at McCann Dillon Jaffe & Lamb, LLC have a long record of successful claims for construction workers injured or killed in slip, trip, and fall accidents. The team works diligently to ensure their clients claim the maximum amount of compensation available to them. Their experience and knowledge of personal injury law allows their injured clients to focus on their recovery, without the added burden that the financial impact of the injury can bring.
Preventing Slip, Trip, and Fall Accidents on Construction Sites
Construction work is one of the most dangerous professions in the United States, and carries daily risks of serious injury and death. The majority of slip, trip, and fall accidents at construction sites can be prevented with careful attention to safety protocols and proper training.
Slipping Accidents
Construction workers are prone to slipping accidents when working on wet and slippery surfaces. Working outdoors on wet steel beams or icy and snow-covered surfaces can cause a worker to slip. Spilled liquids and unsecured floor mats can also cause slipping hazards.
Slipping happens suddenly, and the body reacts instinctively to avoid falling. Muscles tense up and arms and legs work overtime to maintain balance. The body suddenly twists and turns in ways that can cause sprains or tears to the muscles and ligaments that are used to steady the body.
There are many ways to prevent slipping accidents on construction sites. In the event of a spill, for example, clean it up immediately and place warning signs or cones near the area.
Oily substances are difficult to completely clear, so extra attention must be given to prevent accidental slipping. Laying down abrasives such as salt or cat litter will help absorb the oil from the surface.
De-icing and snow removal must be done as soon as possible. Salt, cat litter, and even dirt or sand thrown down on walkways and work surfaces will avoid refreezing and provide added traction. Construction workers should also wear proper footwear that includes rubberized soles that increase traction.
Tripping Accidents
Workers that trip over clutter in walkways, uncovered cables, and unsecured or uneven flooring can suffer injuries to the head, face, arms, neck, shoulders, and legs. When a tripping accident occurs, construction workers can fall forward, backward, and into hard surfaces or sharp-edged machinery.
Common tripping injuries include:
- Concussion or brain trauma
- Broken bones in the face, arms, and legs
- Shoulder injuries
- Severe cuts and lacerations
- Spinal injuries
- Burns, if the victim falls into exposed electrical components or hot surfaces.
Tripping accidents can also result in falls from high places, such as scaffolding, or result in a worker coming into contact with moving equipment or vehicles.
Preventing tripping accidents is essential to construction safety. Debris should be cleared immediately from work surfaces and walkways. Work mats and flooring should be firmly secured and replaced if torn or tattered. All construction workers should be properly trained to clean up their work areas completely to avoid tripping hazards.
Fall Accidents
Construction workers that fall from scaffolding, ladders, elevated work areas, and into deep trenches suffer the most serious and often fatal injuries. Slippery, cluttered, and unstable walkways or work areas, unprotected edges, wall openings, rickety ladders, and failure to use fall protection equipment, such as tethers, all lead to high risks of serious and fatal injuries from fall accidents.
Fall injuries can include:
- Head and brain trauma
- Spinal and back injuries
- Broken bones
- Serious cuts and lacerations
- Internal organ damage
Victims that survive a fall accident often require hospitalization, surgery, physical and cognitive therapy, and long recovery periods.
Prevention is key to avoiding fall accidents. Construction workers need to be provided with safety equipment and training on the proper use of this equipment. Frequent and routine inspection and maintenance of equipment and work surfaces is pivotal to worker safety.
Frequent training on fall prevention can help construction workers recognize fall hazards and increase their safety on the job.
Philadelphia Construction Accident Lawyers at McCann Dillon Jaffe & Lamb, LLC Help Injured Workers Claim Compensation
If you or someone you know has been injured in a slip, trip, or fall accident on a construction site, you may be entitled to compensation. Call the Philadelphia construction accident lawyers at McCann Dillon Jaffe & Lamb, LLC at 215-569-8488 or contact us online to schedule a consultation today. Our offices serve clients in Philadelphia, Delaware County, and Chester County, Pennsylvania as well as Wilmington, Dover, Newark, and Middletown, Delaware, and throughout New Jersey.