Working on a construction site carries many risks, as an accident can happen when you least expect it. And even if you attempt to protect yourself against injury, such as by wearing the appropriate safety gear, there’s no guarantee you won’t require medical attention.
Here are some of the most common causes of construction site injuries:
- Slip and fall: This can happen at height, such as on a roof, or on the ground. Either way, a slip and fall has the potential to cause serious injury, such as broken bones and traumatic brain injury.
- Motor vehicle accident: Even if you’re not responsible for operating a motor vehicle on a construction site, you can still suffer an injury if you work in close proximity to these vehicles. For example, if someone operating a bulldozer doesn’t see you, they could strike you by accident.
- Falling object: With people working above, such as on the roof of a building or scaffolding, there is always a risk of an object falling to the ground below. If a heavy object happens to hit you, there’s no shortage of the number of injuries it can cause.
- Equipment accidents: Construction sites are full of all types of equipment, ranging from power saws to nail guns to forklifts. All of this equipment is designed to improve performance and efficiency, but it also has the potential to cause an accident.
- Heat stroke and frostbite: Working outdoors on a construction site can subject you to inclement weather. For example, during the winter months, frostbite is a concern when temperatures dip below freezing. And during the summer months, it’s a must to protect against heat stroke at all times.
Understanding the top causes of construction site injuries is a good start, but this knowledge doesn’t necessarily keep you safe.
If you’re injured on the job, stop what you’re doing to receive treatment and to report the incident to your employer. Don’t forget that some injuries don’t present symptoms right away, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
From there, learn more about your rights to receive workers’ compensation benefits. And also, don’t forget that you may be able to recover through a personal injury settlement, which has the potential to pay out much more than a workers’ compensation claim.
