Construction sites are hazardous locations and the job is highly demanding physically. Those who work in this field are often asked to work at height, operate large machinery or work on the roadside where traffic accidents can occur. Unfortunately, because of the inherent nature of the work, construction workers face a serious risk of injury on the job.
Workers who get injured at work may face serious medical issues, chronic pain and money worries because of missed work. The law does provide some protection for construction workers injured on the job. It is important to know what your rights are under these laws. Building companies should also consider having public liability insurance to cover them for any claims for compensation due to work-related illness or injury. For more information on Contractors Insurance Bath, visit a site like Mark Richard, a leading provider of Contractors Insurance Bath.
Types of Injuries in Construction
Construction workers face a wide variety of risks on the job. The leading causes of injury on construction sites include:
Falling from height – A worker may fall from buildings, scaffolding or any part of a machine to the ground below. Workers also can fall into a hole or trench at a construction site.
Collapse of a trench – should a trench collapse, a person can end up suffocating as their air supply is cut off, they can be buried alive or suffer crush injuries.
Scaffolding collapses – there are strict rules to ensure the security and stability of the scaffolding, but things could still go wrong, causing workers to plunge to their death or fall and sustain serious injuries.
Arc flash or electric shock – jobs that involve power tools, generators, machinery and electrical wiring put people at a higher risk of suffering electrical burns.
Failure to use the proper protective equipment – Hardhats, safety glasses and other personal protective equipment must always be used at construction sites to prevent injuries.
Repetitive motion injuries – When the body is repeatedly asked to do the same thing again and again, any soft tissue or muscle can become damaged, reducing mobility and leading to chronic pain.
In addition to the above causes of injury, workers at the construction site can also be injured in a traffic accident, ladder collapses, faulty tools or equipment, colleague mistakes and accidents with tools or machines.
Workers at construction sites who experience accidents can maintain a wide range of serious injury, including:
Eye injuries, including impaired vision or blindness
Knee and ankle injuries
Shoulder, back and neck injury
Spinal cord damage, including that which can result in paralysis
Diseases caused by exposure to toxic chemicals
Head injury and / or brain injury.
In the most tragic cases, the injuries suffered by construction workers can be fatal.