Every year, thousands of workers are injured on the job. In 2021 alone, private industry employers reported over 2 million workplace injuries and illnesses.
However, of all the industries, the construction industry is among the worst when it comes to the number of injuries reported. According to OSHA, of all fatal occupational injuries reported, almost half of them come from construction work.
If you are injured as a construction worker, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits that can help you pay for your medical bills and wage loss. A Kentucky workers’ compensation lawyer or construction site injury lawyer can help you file your claim, protect your rights as a worker, and ensure you get the benefits you need while you recover.
What is the Most Common Cause of Injury in Construction?
Construction sites can be inherently dangerous. They are loud, busy, and full of heavy machinery, equipment, scaffolding, and debris that can easily lead to an accident. As such, there are countless ways that a construction injury could occur.
However, some of the most common causes of construction site injuries are falls, electrocution, being struck by an object, and being trapped between or under an object. OSHA refers to these as the fatal four.
Electrocutions are responsible for about 60% of the death rate of construction workers, and falls account for about 40% of construction site accidents. Even if a fall at a construction site is not fatal, it can cause serious physical injuries.
How Many Fatal Accidents Occur Each Year on Construction Sites?
OSHA reported that 4,764 workers died on the job in 2020, with about 47.4% of those deaths coming from construction occupations, which represents around 976 deaths. So it is safe to say that close to 1,000 fatal accidents occur each year in construction. (Please check this statistic, it makes no sense – 47.4% of 4764 is 2,258)
What is the Most Common Injury in Construction?
As electrocutions account for the highest percentage of death rates in construction, the most common injury is likely some type of electrical injury, such as electric shock or a skin burn. However, some other common construction site injuries can include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Crushed and broken bones
- Amputations or loss of limbs and extremities
- Hand injuries
- Eye injuries
- Lacerations
- Injuries or illnesses from exposure to toxic materials
- Repetitive motion injuries
How to Prevent Accidents in Construction Sites
While construction workers must follow the rules and take precautions to keep themselves safe, it is ultimately the responsibility of the employer to take measures to prevent accidents from occurring. Frequently, construction workers are injured because of their employer’s failure to follow safety regulations. This could include:
- Providing inadequate safety training
- Failing to ensure workers have the protective equipment they need (hard hats, gloves, goggles, etc.)
- Failing to ensure equipment and machinery are being used properly
- Improper maintenance of machinery and equipment
- Violating OSHA rules and guidelines
What to Do After Sustaining a Construction Site Injury
The steps you take after a construction site accident can play an important role in your workers’ compensation claim. If you make any mistakes, it could result in your claim being denied, or you could end up getting fewer benefits than you deserve.
Following the accident, you should:
- Seek immediate medical attention for your injury.
- Report the incident to your employer.
- Gather evidence, if possible, such as photos of what happened and witness statements from anyone else who saw you get hurt.
- Check in with your employer to make sure they have officially reported the accident (if they don’t report it, you may need to file a report directly with the Workers’ Compensation Administration yourself).
- Consult with a workers’ compensation or construction site injury lawyer.
Trust McCoy & Sparks—Premier Workers’ Compensation Attorneys in Central Kentucky
At McCoy & Sparks, our workers’ compensation attorneys know what it takes to ensure our clients are paid the full and fair benefits they deserve for their workplace injuries. We can help you file your claim directly if necessary, ensure all information is correct on your paperwork, deal with denials or appeals, and make sure your benefits are fairly calculated so you are paid the full amount you are owed.
You owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Make the right call to (844) 4KY-WINS for a risk-free consultation with one of our workers’ compensation attorneys today.