Working in construction can be quite rewarding. You make something physical and long-lasting that you can point out to others. You also probably earn a competitive wage.
Unfortunately, one of the reasons you can receive higher wages in construction is that you have a lot more risk for serious injury or even death because of what you do on the job. When you recognize the biggest risk factors, you can both keep yourself safe and hold others accountable if they don’t have appropriate safety measures in place.
What safety issues comprise the Fatal Four for construction?
Multiple government organizations track workplace fatalities and try to improve worker safety. Four causes are reliable among the top dangers in construction every year. Falls are the leading cause of death, responsible for just about two out of every five construction fatalities.
The second most common cause of construction deaths is struck-by incidents, often involving falling tools, supplies or equipment. Workers struck by items account for 9.4% of fatalities, while electrocutions cause another 8.3% of construction site deaths.
The fourth major contributor to construction deaths involved caught-between incidents, which are responsible for 7.3% of fatalities. These incidents often involve excavation or heavy equipment.
Both injured workers and surviving family members have legal rights
A construction worker who gets hurt on the job may be able to file a workers’ compensation claim. In some situations, they may even have a personal injury claim against their employer or a third party if negligence or illegal company practices contributed to their injury. The same may be true for surviving family members who have lost a loved one due to an incident at a construction site.
Knowing your rights and risks as a construction worker before anything bad happens on the job will put you in a better position to stick up for yourself when you have an injury claim.