The construction industry is potentially one of the most dangerous industries to work in. Construction worker injuries in 2009 accounted for 9% of all nonfatal workplace injuries in the United States. One of the reasons why there are so many injuries on construction sites is because the conditions faced by workers are inherently hazardous. Even though construction sites are highly regulated and many procedures are put in place to increase safety, many workers are injured every year.
If you are a construction worker, you will have the right to file for workers’ compensation if you become injured. This will entitle you to claim back medical expenses that resulted from the injury, and you may also be able to gain back a portion of the wages you lost. The following are some of the most common reasons why injuries occur on construction sites.
Falling objects
All visitors on construction sites are required to wear hardhats. This is because there is a high risk of objects such as bricks or metal falling from higher levels of scaffolding. Even if hardhats are properly fitted, a person may suffer head or spinal injuries as a result of an impact.
Faulty or mishandled equipment
The equipment being used on a construction site can present many different types of dangers. You may become injured due to the malfunctioning of construction site machinery, or because you or another worker made a mistake when operating the machinery. Your ability to claim workers’ compensation will not depend on who was to blame for the occurrence of the accident.
Collapsing structures
Construction site workers naturally have to work with unstable structures. This means that there is always a risk of a structure collapsing. This can lead to severe head injuries or crushed limbs.
Overexertion
You may be working on one single task that requires repetitive motion or the use of only certain muscles. This can cause repetitive motion injuries or overexertion in some muscles. As a result, you may need to take time away from work so that you can recover.
If you have become injured as a construction worker, report your injury to your employer as soon as possible. By doing so, you will have the best possible chance of being able to claim workers’ compensation.