Construction is a risky business as people are injured in this industry daily. Some of them are lucky enough to walk away with cuts and bruises but others face life-changing medical issues or even death. There are a lot of things that can go wrong when working in construction and many of these can result in serious injury. Here are the top four causes of construction accidents.
Human Error
As much as the industry tries to regulate as much as possible to keep its workers safe, there is always room for human error. Whether this means that you have failed to follow instructions carefully or you have just taken your eye off the job for a second, human error can cause serious injury or death. If you have had an accident that was your own fault, you should still make sure the correct protocols are followed. Report it in the way you usually would and speak to a lawyer for construction accidents as soon as possible. Hopefully, the only thing that has been badly dented is your pride.
Failure to Follow Safety Precautions
Safety precautions are there for a reason and failure to comply could leave you with a nasty injury. It may seem quicker to cut corners but, if you and your colleagues have to take time out to go to the hospital or spend time recovering from an accident, then the process wasn’t quicker at all. Even if you have worked in the industry for years and think you know a better way of doing something, there could be a factor you have overlooked. Failure to follow safety precautions could also lead to your company’s insurance claim not paying out if you get injured, which could leave you with a lot of expensive medical bills to pay.
Unsafe Conditions
Even if safety precautions have been taken and checked by the site manager, the construction environment is always subject to change. There are a lot of things going on around you and you should watch out for changes in your surroundings throughout the day. For example, wires can be moved without you realizing and you could trip over them, or scaffolding could become unsafe due to adverse weather conditions.
Protective Clothing
Always wear the protective clothing you are given or told to wear. Some of this is cumbersome and you will not want to wear it for longer than you must but, taking it off before it is safe to do so could lead to you having a nasty accident. You could be exposed to chemicals, sparks, or sharp metal if you are not careful. If you are not following the correct safety precautions, you are unlikely to be insured if you have an accident.
The construction industry is a risky business but a lot of the time it can only be as safe as the people working in it. Make sure you are vigilant and always follow safety precautions if you do not want to end up being another construction injury statistic.
