The Four Most Dangerous Construction Site Accidents

 Posted on January 06, 2023 in Car Accidents

Construction work is absolutely essential for making our lives as comfortable and convenient as they are, but it is dangerous work and construction workers frequently face serious and even fatal hazards. While many of the injuries and fatalities that occur on construction sites in Illinois are covered by workers’ compensation insurance, others are caused by third-party negligence that leaves construction workers options for recovering compensation for the damages they have suffered. 

If you are a construction worker who has been injured, or if you are the loved one of a construction worker who was killed on site, you deserve to know your options. Learn about the most common construction site accidents in this blog and then contact an Illinois personal injury with specific knowledge and experience in construction site injuries to see whether taking further action is right for you. 

The Fatal Four

Construction sites are busy, complex locations with virtually limitless opportunities for injuries to occur. Even with advances in technology, safety equipment, and best practices, workers are still at risk. However, the CDC, which collects information about annual construction site accidents, notes that four accidents in particular are most likely to cause injury or death. In fact, these four types of accidents have been dubbed “The Fatal Four” precisely because of how dangerous they are. They are: 

• Electrocution - Construction sites have power lines overhead, underfoot, and everywhere in between. When these lines are not carefully placed, grounded, and turned off when appropriate, they can expose construction workers to lethal amounts of electricity. 

• Crushing - Workers are frequently caught between very heavy objects on construction sites. These may be trucks, heavy machinery, moving objects, collapsing structures, and more. Crushing injuries can easily result in lost fingers, limbs, and even death. 

• Strike accidents - Heavy objects are often moving around on construction sites and, even with the most careful management, can fall from up above. When workers are hit by falling objects, loose loads, or flying debris, traumatic head injuries are common, as are dangerous neck, shoulder, and back injuries. 

• Falls - These are the most common source of fatal injuries on construction sites, especially when site managers and company owners are not carefully implementing OSHA standard protections for workers. Construction workers can fall off scaffolding, through weak surfaces or openings in floors or ceilings, off of ladders, and more. 

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Winnebago County Construction Accident Lawyer

If you were injured at work and are wondering whether you can pursue compensation, make sure you speak with a Rockford, IL construction site accident attorney before making any decisions. You may be surprised by the options available to you, and relieved at how helpful a personal injury attorney with experience in gathering evidence and advocating on your behalf can be. Call Mannarino & Brasfield, A Division of Schwartz Injury Law at 815-215-7561 to schedule a free, no-pressure consultation today. 

Sources: 

https://www.cpwr.com/wp-content/uploads/DataBulletin-February-2021.pdf

https://iquasar.com/blog/fatal-four-construction-industry-hazards-and-management/