Construction Worker Fatalities Account for Twenty Percent of All Workplace Deaths

 Posted on March 21, 2018 in Personal Injury Lawsuits

In 2016, 4,693 workers were fatally injured while on the job. Of those who suffered fatal injuries, over 20 percent worked in the construction industry. In all, over 900 construction workers lost their lives while working.

Due in large part to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the United States Department of Labor, workplace fatalities have dropped drastically over the past few decades. Worker deaths in the United States have dropped from just under 40 deaths per day in 1970, to 14 deaths a day in 2016.

OSHA’s efforts to implement safety regulations in the workplace have monumentally altered the landscape of safety in the American workplace, yet construction workers still face incredible danger every time they go to work. If you or a loved one suffer a workplace injury, contact our knowledgeable team of Waukegan personal injury attorneys. 

Common Construction Injuries 

Injuries on-site can be unpredictable in the field of construction. According to OSHA, the vast majority of injuries in the workplace for construction workers can be attributed to four main types of accidents: 

• Falling: Of the nearly 1,000 construction deaths in 2016, more than one-in-three were the result of a fall. From crane accidents to ladder falls, construction workers are often asked to work above ground. This type of work comes with inherent risks.
• Striking Objects: Being struck-by hazards in construction zones can cause serious, and sometimes fatal, injuries. These types of injuries can be attributed to falling or loose debris, falling or swinging construction equipment, or vehicular strikings.
• Electrical Injuries: Just under 10 percent of all construction worker fatalities are caused by electrocutions. Construction workers are commonly asked to work on electrical wiring within their projects—the work can be incredibly dangerous. Over 80 construction workers suffered fatal injuries due to electrocution in 2016. 
• Caught Between an Object: Some of the most severe injuries that construction workers suffer are caused when a worker is compressed by objects or equipment on sight. Examples include a swinging crane pinning a worker up against a building, or a construction structure collapsing and crushing a worker. While these types of injuries only account for roughly 7 percent of all construction worker fatalities, they are the main culprit in many non-fatal injuries.

Looking for Help

In the event of a workplace injury, many workers do not know where to turn. At Salvi & Maher, L.L.C., we have decades of experience assisting construction workers in workers’ compensation lawsuits. From falls to electrical injuries, our Waukegan personal injury team has a proven track record of helping those injured in the workplace. If you or loved one suffer an injury in at work, contact our compassionate Lake County personal injury lawyers today.

Sources: 

https://www.osha.gov/oshstats/commonstats.html

https://www.osha.gov/dte/outreach/construction/focus_four/struckby/struckby_ig.pdf