Construction Site Safety

Tens of thousands are injured and, on average, over 1,000 construction workers die each year while on job sites according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). While some of these injuries are simply unfortunate accidents, many of them could have been prevented with the proper training and safety precautions.
ASSUMED SAFETY IN WORKPLACE
While it is human nature to believe that your safety needs have been taken care of for you in the workplace, the truth is that negligence, carelessness and improper adherence to safety regulations by coworkers or management could be putting you at risk.
Don’t assume that your coworkers have had the proper training, that the equipment is functioning correctly, and that you are not in danger.

PROPER SAFETY AND LIABILITY

Remember, even if training and equipment appear to be as they should, forgetting to do regular maintenance of dangerous or heavy equipment and not properly marking potentially hazardous areas can leave employees in precarious circumstances.
Also, even if you or your coworkers have been working on a particular machine for years and years, in order to fulfill your obligation under OSHA, MSHA or the rules of civil liability known as Tort Law, all operators must have identifiable and verifiable training on the machine or equipment.

With roughly 150,000 construction site accidents reported every year by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it pays to make certain your safety needs are properly met on the construction site.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the potential hazards for workers in construction include:
Falls (from heights)
Trench collapse
Scaffold collapse
Electric shock and arc flash/arc blast
Failure to use proper personal protective equipment
Repetitive motion injuries
Falls (from heights)
Trench collapse
Scaffold collapse
Electric shock and arc flash/arc blast
Failure to use proper personal protective equipment
Repetitive motion injuries
Make sure that any scaffolding has been inspected by the proper personnel before you use it.
Wear the proper safety gear: a hard hat (at all times) and sturdy shoes with nonslip soles.
Watch out for co-workers on the scaffold, as well as those below.
Move cautiously and slowly when working on any scaffold – use common sense.
Speak to your supervisor if you’re unsure about the safety of working conditions on the scaffold.
Don’t overload your scaffold or take unnecessary chances with your safety.
Keep all unnecessary materials or debris cleared off the scaffold.
Be sure to steer clear of scaffolding when using a forklift or other heavy equipment.
Clean your materials off of the scaffold platform at the end of the day.
Do not use an outdoor scaffold in unsafe weather conditions.
For more information on how to keep yourself and your site safe, visit OSHA’s Pocket Guide for a detailed list of safety solutions and practical advice on how to avoid deadly accidents like these.
If you’ve been seriously injured in an accident at a construction site, don’t hesitate to call the experienced attorneys at Meshbesher & Spence to help ensure that you are adequately compensated for your injuries and emotional suffering.
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