Most Common Causes of Construction Worker Injuries
Construction work in Maryland and throughout the country is extremely dangerous. Although safety precautions — most of which are required under the law — can prevent most types of severe construction work injuries, accidents continue to occur on construction sites, and workers get hurt. The construction industry has one of the highest rates of worker deaths among all industries, meaning that fatal workplace injuries occur more frequently in construction jobs than in many other types of employment. Indeed, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that about 20 percent of all deadly workplace accidents happen in the construction industry. Beyond fatal injuries, construction workers can also sustain serious yet nonfatal injuries on the job, and those nonfatal injuries can result in permanent disabilities, depending on the type of accident.
What are some of the most common causes of construction worker injuries in Maryland? Our Maryland workers’ compensation lawyers can provide you with key data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the BLS, and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) to help clarify the frequent hazards that exist on many construction sites and that commonly cause worker harm.
Falls: Slips and Falls, and Falls from Heights
Falls are among the leading cause of construction worker deaths, as well as nonfatal injuries among construction workers. According to the BLS, about one-third of all construction worker deaths are due to slips, trips, and falls, and most of those involve falls to a lower level. The CDC places that number at about 36 percent, more precisely. In other words, a construction worker will slip or trip on scaffolding, a roof, or another higher level and fall to a lower level.
Deadly slips, trips, and falls on construction sites accounted for more than 46 of all fall-related deaths across all industries in 2021, and the data showed that these deadly injuries have increased recently on construction sites.
Struck-By Accidents
Construction workers can be struck by falling objects from heights, as well as by heavy machinery on the same level. The CDC reports that these injuries account for more than 15 percent of all deadly construction injuries and for a large percentage of nonfatal injuries. Struck-by accidents are the second-leading cause of fatalities on construction sites.
Electrocutions and Electrical Injuries
Electrocutions can occur when construction workers are performing a range of work, from excavation to building to demolition. These injuries account for more than 7 percent of construction deaths and are the third-leading cause of construction site fatalities, according to OSHA.
Caught-In or Caught-Between Accidents
According to OSHA, caught-in or caught-between accidents on construction sites are the fourth-leading cause of fatal construction injuries. The CDC reports that these accidents account for more than 5 percent of all deadly construction accidents.
Contact a Maryland Construction Worker Injury Lawyer
At any type of job in Maryland, it is possible to sustain a serious injury that requires time away from work and for which the injured employee may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. Yet some types of work involve significantly more hazards than others, and the construction industry can be particularly dangerous.
If you were injured while performing construction work in Maryland, it is essential to get in touch with a lawyer who can help you with your workers’ compensation claim. One of the experienced Maryland construction worker injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Steinhardt, Siskind and Lieberman, LLC can speak with you today about your workplace injury and the steps to take in order to seek workers’ compensation benefits. Contact us today for help.
Sources:
bls.gov/opub/ted/2023/construction-deaths-due-to-falls-slips-and-trips-increased-5-9-percent-in-2021.htm
cdc.gov/niosh/construction/statistics.html
osha.gov/training/outreach/construction/focus-four
