Pennsylvania Construction Accidents
Construction accidents cause thousands of serious injuries and fatalities due to the exposure to tremendous hazards and dangers. Despite the safety rules which apply to construction sites, workers in the building trades are often at high risk for serious injury. If a construction worker is seriously injured on the job it is often devastating to the worker and their families.
The latest statistics for workers in the U.S. indicate that there were 5.7 million occupational injuries among workers. Accidents on the job result in the deaths of 6,000 workers each year. This occurs even though many state and federal regulations require owners, general contractors, and sub-contractors to implement a wide variety of safety standards.
Construction accidents require early legal intervention and investigation due to the near daily change of the accident scene. Due to the complexity involved with construction accident cases, it is important to consult with an experienced Pittsburgh construction accident attorney.
Construction accidents can occur due to a variety of factors including:
- Electrocution
- Aerial lift and crane accidents
- Ladder accidents
- Defective equipment
- Welding Rod Fumes
- Lack of shoring in an excavation
- Wall and roof collapses
- Holes in flooring
- Scaffolding and staging collapses
- Inadequate supervision
- Negligent blasting and tunneling procedures
- Dropped loads
- Open stairways
- Insufficient support of concrete structures
- Improperly handled chemicals or gases
- Improperly maintained access areas
- Insufficient fall protection systems.
Welding Injuries
Welders are exposed to a variety of on-the-job hazards. The ultraviolet radiation in the welding process can cause severe burns to the skin and damage to the eyes. Workers who user flame cutting equipment are also exposed to infrared radiation, which can cause thermal burns. In addition, welding certain materials may produce hazardous and dangerous gases causing a variety of lung and health issues.
Scaffolding Accidents and Falling Accidents
Scaffolding accidents are one of the leading causes of severe injury and death on the job. They often result from negligent assembly and maintenance. Most of the injuries resulting from scaffolding accidents are caused by either the planking or supports failing, or by the employee slipping or being struck by a falling object.
Falling accdients account for almost 25 percent of all construction worker fatalities. These accidents most often happen as a result from the lack of, or improper use of saftey equipment.
Crane Accidents
Crane accidents result in numerous deadly injuries each year. Contact between cranes and power lines are the most common cause of fatal accidents (almost 40%). The other major causes of crane accidents include assembly and dismantling the crane (12%), boom buckling (8%), crane overturning (7%) and rigging failure (7%).
Toxic Exposure and Explosions
Many construction sites require the use of compressed gases. Compressed gases create the potential for exposure to chemical hazards. Gases can be flammable, poisonous, toxic, combustible, explosive, or corrosive. Flammable gases create the potential for fire or explosion. Toxic gases present a danger of asphyxiation, suffocation, and poisoning.
If you or a loved one have been injured or killed in a Pennsylvania construction accident, please fill out the form on your left for a free case review by a Pennsylvania construction accident lawyer.
Pennsylvania Construction Accident FAQs
