Construction sites can be dangerous for the people working at them, as well as for anyone living or commuting nearby. With multiple workers doing dangerous tasks, possibly deadly equipment, heavy machinery and electricity all present, construction sites have all kinds of risks for the public and construction professionals alike.
Although everything from a sudden medical event in one worker to unseasonable weather could lead to unpredictable incidents at a construction site, certain kinds of accidents happen more frequently than others. What kinds of dangerous situations are most likely to arise at construction sites?
Workers falling
Falls remain one of the leading causes of death and serious injury to construction workers. Falls even from lower elevations can lead to career-ending injuries and can cause severe injury to someone who gets struck by the falling worker.
Equipment or supplies falling
The taller the building that a construction crew works on, the greater the risk posed by materials, tools and even heavy machinery. Those items could fall from scaffolding or elevations where professionals are at work, posing risk to everyone below them. Falling machinery and supplies can cause catastrophic injuries to pedestrians and drivers near construction sites, as well as to property.
Electricity-related incidents
Working with the electrical supply or with power tools creates a risk to the individual workers at a construction site. Although electrocutions related to construction typically involve workers, frayed wires or improperly secured electrical sources could pose a risk to the public as well.
Trenching accidents
Excavation or the removal of dirt from a construction site is one of the most basic and dangerous construction tasks. Every year, workers get hurt and die in trenching-related activities.
Workers in trenches can get hurt when the dirt around the trench shifts and caves in, causing a caught-in or caught-between situation. Those working above the trench could also get hurt if they fall or slide when the earth around them moves.
Other common construction site accidents might include issues with ladders or scaffolding, machinery accidents, and even defective tools. Any of these scenarios might give rise to a workers’ compensation claim or personal injury lawsuit for those hurt while close to a construction site.