Common Construction Accidents and the Injuries That Result

Construction work is crucial to the economy but can be extremely dangerous for those engaged in it. When contractors and subcontractors fail to observe proper safety protocols or workers are careless, they can cause severe injury or even death.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the following — known as the “fatal four” — are the most common types of construction accidents that pose the greatest risk of harm:

• Falls from heights — The single most common type of accident is a fall, whether from hundreds of feet (on a high-rise project), a couple of stories (such as from a roof) or only a few feet. Height plays a role in the severity of the injuries and the chances of death, but even a short fall can result in serious harm if one strikes a hard surface or object.
• Electrocution — Electrical equipment is present on all construction sites. Exposed power sources, poor insulation of cords or inadequate maintenance of the equipment create a danger that a construction worker will be electrocuted, suffering severe burns, damage to muscles and nerves and possible cardiac arrest.
• Getting caught in or between — A worker may be crushed between two heavy objects, such as a vehicle and a wall, or may be caught in the malfunctioning parts of a machine, such as when a motor can’t be shut off in time. Such accidents can result in mauling or crushing limbs and other body parts.
• Getting hit by an object — Workers on construction sites are at constant risk of being struck by heavy objects, such as tools slipping out of the hands of co-workers, building materials falling from above or building components such as girders being moved into place. The seriousness of the injury varies with the weight of the object and the force of impact.

Other perils to site workers may be posed by vehicles moving through the construction zone or by exposure to burning, toxic or explosive substances.

Workers injured on the job are entitled to workers’ compensation, which covers their medical bills and a portion of the wages they lose while disabled. Workers’ comp is the employee’s exclusive remedy against the employer. It does not allow recovery of damages for pain and suffering, emotional distress or other noneconomic losses. Often, however, the accident may be partially or totally the fault of a third party, such as:

• A different contractor or subcontractor engaged in the construction project or one of their employees
• The manufacturer of the equipment causing the injury
• The company responsible for maintaining the equipment

Those parties may be sued in court and held liable to the extent they were negligent. A construction accident attorney can determine if you have a case against a third party and if so bring a lawsuit seeking recovery of all damages you suffered.

Gesmonde, Pietrosimone & Sgrignari, L.L.C. in East Haven and Hamden litigates construction accident cases throughout Connecticut. Please call 203-745-0942 or contact us online for a consultation.