According to a new report released by the United States Department of Labor, the number of construction workers killed on construction sites rose 5 percent in 2012, from 738 to 775. The Department of Labor has deemed the construction industry the “deadliest industry in the United States.” Falls, slips, and trips remain a construction worker’s worst enemy: in 2012, 280 construction workers died from a workplace fall, slip, or trip, which represented over a third of all construction related deaths. The remaining categories of construction deaths are transportation incidents (216), traumatic contact with on-site objects or equipment (135), and exposure to harmful substances or environments (102).
From our vast experience in construction cases, we know employees in the construction industry work from great heights every day, and falls are very common. Therefore, it is critical to make sure your employer provides the safety equipment you need to protect yourself from falls, by tying-off or using a horizontal lifeline, if working from heights greater than seven feet. In addition, you must always report an unsafe work environment if your employer does not provide you with a safe environment to work from heights.
If you or a loved one has been injured on a construction site, please call the law offices of Coplan and Crane, Ltd., for a free consultation.
(Business Insurance – August 22, 2013.)
