Ten Common Hazards That Make Your Construction Site Unsafe
Construction sites aren’t exactly known as safe havens. Workers are often handling dangerous tools, machines, and equipment, standing up on high surfaces, having to walk around debris, and many other frightening scenarios. With all of these potential hazards, it’s no wonder so many people are injured and killed on construction sites each year.
In fact, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 828 construction workers were killed on the job in 2013, which averages out to about 16 deaths a week, or at least 2 a day.
The 10 Most Commonly-Cited OSHA Violations
While there are many hazards around a worksite, the most frequently-cited OSHA violations in 2014 were:
- Lack of fall protection
- Improper or missing labeling of hazardous materials
- Unsafe scaffolding
- Failure to use/provide respiratory protection
- Violations of forklift safety rules
- Improper control of hazardous energy (chemical, thermal, electrical, etc.)
- Unsafe ladders
- Electrical Hazards
- Lack of safeguards around machinery
- Faulty electrical systems design
When employers take the necessary steps to prevent hazards, lives are saved. Fortunately, worker deaths in general are down tremendously from 38 worker deaths a day in 1970 to 12 a day in 2013. Additionally, worker illness and injury is also reduced from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to 3.3 per 100 in 2013, so something is going right. That same positive trend can be seen among construction workers, but the potential hazards on a construction site far surpass those in most other workplaces, so caution and prevention are even more important.
Excellent Representation Is Available to You
The Houston area is flooded with construction sites and many of our city’s residents work on them. Your safety may not be your boss’s priority, but getting you the help you need when you are injured on the job is ours. Attorney Steve Lee wants to help you receive the workers’ compensation you deserve. Contact us today to learn how.