Construction is big business in this country and provides millions of jobs. According to the CDC, the number of construction jobs in the U.S. rose 25 percent from 2011-19. Whether in the Chicago area or the rest of the country, working construction helps millions of people provide for themselves and their families.
However, the job is also very risky. Construction has some of the highest rates of fatal and disabling injuries of any American industry. Though the vast majority of construction workers make it home safely at the end of their shifts, tragedy regularly strikes. More often, an accident happens that the victim survives but is left with painful injuries that reduce their mobility and ability to work for weeks, months or years.
5 accidents that often happen on job sites
Construction site accidents can happen in any number of ways, but here are five of the most common hazards.
- Falls. Working from scaffolding, cranes, roofs and ladders high above the ground exposes construction workers to the risk of injury from a fall. The chances of a deadly accident are high, as are paralysis and other permanent disability.
- Dropped objects. Similarly, someone working several feet above the ground could drop a heavy tool or other object that lands on somebody down below.
- Trench collapses. Digging and working in a trench is risky. Regulations lay out the safest ways to build a trench, but construction companies sometimes ignore these safety rules. When a trench caves in, anybody trapped inside could suffocate or suffer serious crush injuries.
- Mechanical failures. A malfunctioning tool or vehicle like a nail gun or forklift can become very dangerous to the user and anybody else nearby.
- Weather-related illness. If not properly protected, workers in hot conditions risk heat exhaustion and heatstroke. In winter, they could be vulnerable to frostbite that could cost them a finger, toe or part of their face.
A major work injury can rob you of your job, independence and quality of life. You may have several options for compensation for those harms, including workers’ compensation and a third-party liability lawsuit.