Construction workers build, maintain, repair, demolish, and renovate houses, buildings, roads, tunnels, bridges, hospitals, airports, docks, stadiums, and more. While working, they could be exposed to all kinds of hazards, such as working at very high heights, dust, heavy loads, vapors, awkward working positions, asbestos, various chemicals, noise, and inclement weather conditions, among others.
Accidents stemming from these hazards are mostly preventable because they could be controlled with proper safety measures. Still, the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that out of the 306 fatal work injuries that occurred in Florida in 2019, the construction industry accounted for 91 of those fatalities. This made up 30 percent of all job-related deaths.
Falls Continue to be a Major Problem and Leading Cause of Death
In the Sunshine State, falls in general accounted for 82 of 332 fatal work-related events. Falls are also the top cause of construction accident deaths.
Additionally, three construction workers lost their lives in recent construction accidents around Florida because of falls:
- October 9, 2021 – A construction worker fell to his death while working on a five-story building in Madeira Beach.
- June 16, 2021 – A construction worker passed away after falling from a high ladder while working at Northeast High School.
- June 11, 2021 – A construction worker fell from a crane on the 23rd floor to the building’s third floor at Bonita Bay.
The Top 4 Construction Hazards
Commonly known as OSHA’s Fatal Four, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration identified the four leading causes of construction accident deaths, which include:
- Falls – About 36.5% of construction worker fatalities happened because of falls. These deaths include workers who fell because of unprotected holes or sides, improperly constructed working or walking surfaces, workers who fell off ladders from high heights, scaffolding, roofs, and skyscraper construction sites, and more.
- Being Hit by Objects – Approximately 10.1% of deaths happened because of misplaced, falling, or swinging objects. These likewise include falling objects from equipment malfunctions, rigging failures, shifting or loose materials, and equipment or vehicle strikes.
- Electrocutions – An estimated 8.6% of workers died from electrocution. Construction workers face a wide variety of electrocution hazards in construction areas, such as wet conditions on exposed electrical outlets and exposed wiring, among others.
- Caught-Between or Caught-In – Workers caught between or in tools, devices, or machines resulting in death accounted for approximately 2.5% of construction worker deaths. These include excavation or trench collapses and workers caught between rotating or moving equipment or caught in falling or collapsing materials or structures.
Consult with a Skilled Port St. Lucie Construction Accident Lawyer Today
If you or a family member got hurt in an accident while working on a construction site, you are entitled to receive proper compensation through your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance and/or other possible compensation sources.
At Rosenthal, Levy, Simon & Sosa, we have ample experience helping injured construction workers pursue fair compensation for their accident-related losses. Schedule your free case review with our Port St. Lucie construction accident lawyer by calling 866-640-7117 or messaging us online.