The 5 Most Common Accidents On Construction Sites In SW Florida
The growth in the Sarasota/Bradenton area recently has resulted in lots of new construction projects from Palmetto to North Port. While all that economic activity has been a blessing, construction sites can be dangerous and are also a common area for serious workplace accidents to take place. This isn’t a huge surprise, as there are none of the safety measures a constructed building enjoys. It is up to construction crews to put them in place for future visitors, workers, and residents to benefit from. As a result, there’s always a chance that an accident can occur on a construction site, and these are the five most common.
Electrocution
While this is the least common accident on a construction site, it is also statistically the most likely to be fatal when it does occur. Electricity is energy. The human body itself “runs” on electricity. It is low-level electrical currents in the brain and nervous system that issue orders to the body.
When electricity is introduced to the human body, it can have profound effects, such as causing blackouts, seizures, or even stopping the heart from beating. These accidents occur when people are exposed to live electrical current, often due to not being aware a current is live or taking improper safety precautions when handling electrical equipment.
Impact From Flying/Falling Objects
It’s common for people to drop objects. Unfortunately, when that object is dropped from a great height, depending on its size and mass, it can do a lot of damage to whatever it hits. Objects get dropped for a variety of reasons on construction sites. Some may be as innocent as handing a tool over to someone else, and it slips and falls from several floors up down to the ground. Others may be more serious, such as a heavy object, like an HVAC unit, being improperly harnessed while lifted and dropping.
Vehicular Accidents
Even though there is no high-speed travel on a typical construction site, people can still be struck by vehicles. Any number of factors can contribute to someone being struck by a vehicle. A heavy vehicle driver may not be aware that someone is behind them as they back up. Someone may be turning the corner onto a makeshift roadway, just as a vehicle is passing through. Whatever the case, people have been accidentally struck by vehicles on construction sites.
Falls From Height
A completed building has enclosed stairwells, guard rails, and many other safety precautions to prevent falling. However, a building under construction only has scaffolding and the frame of the building itself initially. But even in this state, workers are still required at the top of the building and other levels to complete the job.
Because of this, the slightest miscalculation, slip, or even horseplay can result in someone falling from a great height and either injuring themselves or even dying.
Slips & Falls
This is by far the most common cause of accidents at construction sites. In some cases, it may be due to something unpredictable, such as working during a storm. In other cases, it may be the result of someone’s negligence, such as leaving tools on the ground, where someone could trip on them. Whatever the case, with tools, cables, construction materials, and other items left on a surface that isn’t necessarily flat and level, slipping and falling is a common occurrence.
However, if a construction site injury occurs as a result of someone else’s negligence, we can help. Contact our construction accident lawyers to determine how you should proceed if negligence at a construction site caused you to become injured.
