While workplace injuries can happen in any employment area, there are a few jobs that tend to have higher injury statistics than others. These high statistics are due to the nature of the job, usually they arise from positions in which employees often perform physical work or work with dangerous equipment. Some of the most high-risk positions include factory workers, nurses, and construction workers.
In fact, construction site injuries are the most common form of workers’ compensation claims. According to a study done by the Ohio Safety and Health Administration, of the 4,585 workplace fatalities in 2013, 20.2% were due to construction related accidents. In other words, of every five deaths in the workplace, one was an employee on a construction site. These types of statistics are not something that should just be passed over. With this many deaths per year, many people are questioning if there are better safety precautions that could be put into place in order to lower these numbers.
When it comes to a breakdown of the specific accidents on these construction sites, the numbers and patterns become even more clear. In the same study by the Ohio Safety and Health Administration, there were four types of accidents that accounted for the majority of construction job related injuries and fatalities. These four types of accidents have begun to be referred to as the “fatal four”, because they made up almost 60% of all construction deaths in 2013.
Falls: When looking at the breakdown of the fatal four, injuries and fatalities due to falls hold the highest percentage with 36.5%. These accidents occur when someone falls from unsafe levels. Depending on the specifics of the site, many workers find themselves at dangerous heights. Although most employees in this field understand the danger of the heights in which they work, there are certain circumstances in which these heights or conditions are unfit for people to work in, yet people do anyway—this is what leads to the 36.5%.
Struck by object: Behind falls, being struck by an object is the second most common accident in the fatal four, accounting for 10% of all construction accident deaths and injuries in 2013. While falls are more well-known accidents, being struck by an object can be completely unpredictable.
Electrocutions: While everyone understands the danger in electrocutions, lapse of judgment and unsafe work conditions can cause these types of accidents. Electrocutions make up 8.6% of construction zone deaths, in accordance to the same study.
Caught in between objects: While these accidents only account for 2.5%, they are still considered a part of the fatal four. With the nature of construction work, being caught in between two things, to the point of injury or death, is unfortunately a realistic incident that can happen.
Construction sites are only one example of a hazardous place to work. As stated before, workplace injuries can happen to anyone at any job. If you or a loved one has been injured on the job, you need legal representation that can get you the compensation that you deserve. Please reach out to one of the attorneys at The Harris Firm today.
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