Serious injuries are more frequent in the construction industry than in nearly all other fields of work. Construction Accidents in Ottawa County may be caused by several factors, but the most common reason for serious injuries is falling from a height. Construction workers often are not employees of the company but are there on a contract basis, so they are ineligible for workers compensation.
Workers on the ground are also at risk of injury, but the ones performing their duties on roofs, ladders, stairways or scaffolding face a greater risk.
Lack of Protective Gear
One of the biggest problems is that so many workers do not wear protective gear as required by the Occupational Safety Health Administration. The company may not provide all the gear necessary to keep the workers safe. The supervisors may not enforce the regulations, and the workers may ignore those regulations.
Scaffolding
OSHA reports that some 4,500 serious scaffolding accidents could be prevented every year if workers wore protective gear and if the equipment always was set up and used more carefully. A lack of guardrails is cited as a primary reason for falls. Workers should wear roped harnesses that prevent them from falling very far if they do accidentally step off the platform.
Other Issues
Other falls can occur when the work surface is uneven or when workers are not thoroughly trained in safety procedures. Safety issues are often found by inspectors, who are alarmed at the prevalence of various violations.
Concluding Thoughts
Construction Accidents in Ottawa County are reality checks for companies working on projects. Unfortunately, the clock cannot be rolled back, and the worker may have to deal with hospitalization, surgery, months away from the job, and permanent disability of some level.
A worker who has been seriously injured in a construction accident may want to consult an organization such as Bleakley Law Offices P C. An attorney can negotiate a settlement with the construction company’s insurance carrier. If these efforts are unsuccessful, the lawyer will file a lawsuit. If the lawyer is representing the family of a person who was killed in a construction accident, a wrongful death suit may be filed.
