Jersey City Construction Accident Lawyers

Falls are among the most common causes of construction site injuries. The majority of falls occur in men who are over 45. This type of injury makes up one-third of on-the-job deaths in the industry. While working in construction, you might fall from:

• Roofs
• Ladders
• Large stacks of materials
• Scaffolding
• Upper floors

Falls tend to occur for a few key reasons. For instance, they often happen when someone fails to properly mark hazards, uses the wrong equipment, or doesn’t respect safety protocol.

Scaffolding accidents are particularly common. When they’re not constructed and installed correctly, scaffolding can be very dangerous. For this reason, all workers have to use harnesses at all times when they’re on a scaffold.

These accidents are the second most common type that leads to injuries in construction sites. They refer to accidents in which a worker is struck by a moving object. The injuries occur because of forcible contact or impact. Some examples of struck-by accidents are:

• Struck by a moving vehicle
• Flying debris from tools
• Discharged nail from a nail gun
• Falling or swinging equipment
• Objects slipping from hands
• Falling overhead materials

Struck-by accidents can be fatal. Even if the person survives, injuries can be serious enough that the person is no longer able to work. Struck-by incidents involving moving vehicles are the most common, making up 47% of all construction fatalities on average.

Electrocutions are also common in construction sites. These are catastrophic accidents that result from exposure to potentially lethal amounts of electrical energy. Electrocutions can be the result of miscommunication between workers, lack of situational awareness, PPE nonuse, and malfunctioning equipment.

Some of the most frequent actions that lead to electrocutions include:

• Flipping the power on during electrical work
• Coming into contact with damaged wires
• Placing an aluminum ladder where it makes contact with power lines

The severity of the injuries that result from electrocution can vary, but some can be fatal.

Caught-between or caught-in accidents occur when a construction worker gets trapped between two heavy pieces of machinery. Sometimes, they’ll also happen when a body part or piece of clothing gets caught in the moving parts of a machine.

These accidents are frequently catastrophic. They can lead to crushing, strangulation, amputation, or death.

Slips and trips are common accidents that generally don’t result in very severe injuries, but that can still force workers to take time off. Your chances of having a slip-and-trip accident increase in instances of:

• Improper lighting
• Wet surfaces
• Irregular flooring
• Abandoned power cords

Slips and trips tend to occur when tripping and slipping hazards are not properly marked when the wrong type of PPE is used and even when items and materials remain out after use.

Fires and explosions can be a significant hazard for all workers at a construction site. They can occur as a result of:

• Misused welding tools
• Portable heating sources
• Faulty wiring
• Generators

Even smoking on site can lead to fires and explosions.

Unfortunately, it’s common for construction workers to be exposed to chemicals and toxins as they work. They can come into contact with lead, asbestos, mold, formaldehyde, and heavy metals. This is especially the case if the crew works in demolition.

Workers must have sufficient PPE, including masks, eye protection, and masks. This ensures they don’t breathe in toxins that could lead to significant harm.

Ground collapses are another type of risk that can result in severe and life-threatening injuries. They are a particular danger to people working below ground level.

Ground collapses often occur when foundations are not strong enough to hold many workers or when there’s wet soil erosion. A ground collapse can happen quickly and with little to no warning.

If your job requires you to bend over, perform repetitive movements, and do heavy lifting regularly, you could suffer injuries. All of these issues can quickly lead to back problems, tendinitis, and more. By law, employers have to follow ergonomic standards, but they don’t always do so.

Road construction workers also face dangers from vehicles as well as construction equipment. If there aren’t enough safety precautions taken, including clear signs that alert drivers of nearby workers, there can be catastrophic accidents.