Common Construction Accidents

Of all the jobs and careers available to the American worker, some can be rewarding even as they carry the potential for extreme risk. The construction industry is home to many of the most dangerous jobs, and if you fall into this category you should be sure you’re protected in case you’re injured on the job. These are just a few of the most common accidents and injuries associated with this career.

Electric Shock and Explosion

These are among the “least common” of the most common types of construction accidents because accidents caused by electric shock or explosion usually require a “cascade failure” type of event to occur. A cascading failure occurs when the failure of a single component in an interconnected system causes yet another component to fail. This type of accident, in other words, means that more than one component was broken, overlooked, or neglected. In construction, deadly electric shocks and explosions can occur when electrical systems or gas piping are left incomplete, and then inadvertently turned on.

Falls and Falling Objects

Construction is a difficult industry to properly regulate. While retail and other hourly employees are subject to the strictest safety guidelines, this isn’t always the case in construction. Workers are not always required to wear the same equipment–harnesses and the like–required in other professions to keep workers from injuring themselves in a fall.

Although almost all construction workers wear helmets when present at an active construction site, many types of equipment are extremely heavy and routine protection doesn’t quite cut it. Falling objects often lead to sprained or broken limbs, internal tissue damage, spinal injury and, in the most extreme cases, death. Improperly constructed trenches also sometimes collapse, trapping workers. This is why construction workers are forced to remain aware of their surroundings at all times.

Vehicular Accidents

These accidents can create a legal quagmire for any involved. For example, if an off-the-clock driver hits a fellow construction worker, more than one legal entity might get involved. Because various types of heavy equipment and trucks are used at most construction sites, these accidents can be quite severe and costly. Examples of equipment and trucks could include cranes, trenchers, cement trucks, delivery trucks, and almost any other type of vehicle.

If you fall victim to these or any other type of danger while on the job, be sure to call a construction accident lawyer for counsel on what to do next. You might be entitled to compensation based on the severity of the accident and any injuries sustained or mental trauma endured.