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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction sites are among the most dangerous workplaces in America. They have a high incidence of accidents that lead to severe injuries or fatalities. Understanding the most common causes of construction site accidents and injuries can help construction workers prevent them, and create a safer working environment.
Construction work in and around Buffalo is essential for Western New York’s growth. Knowing the risks and following safety protocols can help prevent serious construction site injuries.
Falls from roofs, ladders, scaffolding, and other elevated positions are the leading cause of construction site injuries. Falls from heights can cause severe, catastrophic injuries like head injuries (including traumatic brain injuries), spinal injuries, fractures, and broken bones. The most severe falls from heights can be fatal. Inadequate or non-existent fall protection equipment, such as harnesses or guardrails, is often a contributing factor.
Tools, heavy equipment, machinery, and building materials are in constant motion on a construction site. A worker who is struck by falling objects or moving equipment may experience severe, even fatal injuries. Inadequate training, poorly secured materials, and a failure to enforce safety protocols often contribute to these accidents.
Construction workers often work near power lines, exposed wiring, and electrical systems, and are exposed to high-voltage electrical current. Electrocution can cause serious injuries, including cardiac arrest, thermal burns, nerve damage, or falling after contact with electricity. When workers are injured or killed by electrocution, it is often due to inadequate training.
Uneven surfaces, misplaced tools, wet floors, and unmarked hazards may lead to slips, trips, and falls. These accidents can result in head injuries, traumatic brain injuries, spinal damage, and broken bones. To prevent these injuries, employers are required to maintain clean, organized work areas and must post signs warning of potential hazards.
Excavation is common on construction sites, but poorly designed, unguarded, or improperly supported trenching operations can cause collapse, burying workers under tons of concrete, debris and soil. Trenching accidents are often caused by inadequate training and poor supervision.
Bulldozers, backhoes, cranes, and other heavy equipment are essential for construction work. But workers who are caught between, crushed, or struck by heavy machinery may experience catastrophic, even fatal injuries.
Construction workers may face long-term adverse health consequences due to exposure to hazardous chemicals like asbestos, lead, chemicals used in paints and solvents, and silica dust. Prolonged exposure can lead to respiratory illnesses, skin conditions, or mesothelioma.
New York has some of the strongest protections for construction workers in the country.
Labor Law Section 240(1), commonly referred to as the Scaffold Law, mandates that property owners and general contractors provide construction workers with adequate safety devices (such as scaffolds, ladders, and hoists). It imposes strict, absolute liability on property owners and general contractors when workers are injured in elevation-related injuries (like falls or falling objects).
Labor Law 241(6) requires property owners and general contractors to provide “reasonable and adequate protection and safety” for workers engaged in construction, excavation, and demolition. It imposes strict, non-delegable liability for injuries caused by specific safety violations. It requires that property owners and general contractors comply with specific state regulations in the New York Industrial Code. An injured worker must prove a violation of a specific regulation and that the violation caused the injury.
Labor Law Section 200 is the state’s “general duty” clause. It mandates that property owners, general contractors, and employers provide workers and lawful visitors with a reasonably safe environment and maintain properly guarded equipment. It acts as a fault-based, common law negligence claim.
While injured workers are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, they only provide up to two-thirds of an injured worker’s average weekly wages, and do not provide compensation for pain and suffering or the full extent of a worker’s lost earnings. By filing a lawsuit (against a third party), an injured worker can potentially secure compensation for the full extent of their losses, including total past and future lost wages, loss of earning capacity, past and future pain and suffering, permanent disability, and loss of enjoyment of life.
If an injured worker receives Workers’ Compensation benefits through their employer, New York State bars a lawsuit against the employer. However, in many cases, New York construction workers can sue a third party if the accident was caused by a violation of New York Labor Law or safety regulations.
If you or a loved one was injured in a New York construction site accident, the steps you take to protect yourself and your legal rights can affect your ability to secure the compensation you deserve.
John Looney is an experienced and sought-after construction site injury lawyer who can help you move forward after a serious construction accident. Known for his integrity, honesty, and commitment to ethical practice, John has earned a reputation for the outstanding results he achieves on behalf of his clients.
Looney Injury Law represents injured people and their families in and around Western New York and throughout the State of New York. Call us at (716) 300-7777 or contact our law firm via our website today to schedule a free, confidential, no-obligation consultation to discuss your situation and how we may be able to assist you.
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