Each year thousands of American workers are hurt and killed while performing their jobs. Many injury causing accidents occur right here in Chicago, and a good portion of those accidents occur at construction sites. When construction workers suffer serious physical harm that keeps them from doing their jobs, their livelihoods can be adversely affected and their enduring health can be compromised.
According to statistics released by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, one out of every five work-related deaths occurs in the construction industry. Four particular types of accidents within that industry make up the majority of construction worker deaths. The first of those accident types is falling.
Falls during construction projects made up almost 39 percent of construction worker deaths in 2013. After falls, about 10 percent of fatal construction accidents involved workers being struck with debris and objects while on the job. Nearly 9 percent of construction worker fatalities concerned electrocution, and the final major cause of construction worker deaths in America relates to workers getting caught or crushed between items at construction sites.
OSHA estimates that if construction workers were protected from the four mentioned forms of fatal incidents that more than 450 construction workers’ lives could be saved each year. While the government has issued laws that mandate how construction companies should do business, some fail to offer their workers sufficient protections. Those failures leave many workers vulnerable to injuries and death.
Construction work is inherently dangerous but with the right safety policies and procedures in place companies should be able to responsibly run their businesses. As noted by the discussed statistics, construction site accidents happen at an alarming rate. Individuals who have been hurt or who have lost loved ones in construction accidents can learn more about their legal rights by researching construction injuries and deaths.