On behalf of Smiley & Smiley, LLP posted in Construction Accidents on Thursday, July 14, 2016.

Working in construction is an inherently dangerous job. Worksites are often crowded with workers, powerful equipment, scaffolding and countless moving parts that all have the potential to cause serious injury.

Of course, there are many precautions that can and should be taken to protect workers. However, sometimes these efforts fail or get overlooked. When this happens, people can be catastrophically injured; in the most devastating situations a person can be killed. In order to hopefully avoid four of the most commonly fatal accidents on a construction site, workers should be aware of what are called the Fatal Four.

As noted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the four types of construction accidents that result in the most fatalities include:

1. Falling
2. Electrocution
3. Being struck by an object
4. Getting stuck in or caught between objects

These situations are often the result of safety violations, meaning they often can and should be prevented. As noted by OSHA, some of the most frequently cited violations in 2015 included:

1. Violations of fall protection standards
2. Failed communication regarding jobsite hazards
3. Failure to following instructions for safely operating industrial equipment
4. Non-compliance with ladder and scaffolding regulations.

As you can see, the same regulations violations that resulted in citations by OSHA are the very same that are intended to prevent the Fatal Four.

Being aware of these common injuries and safety violations could help workers across New York avoid them. Unfortunately, accidents can and do still happen, even when all the appropriate precautions are taken.

If you or your loved one is injured or killed in an accident on a construction site, it can be crucial that you discuss your legal options and your rights with an experienced personal injury attorney. Depending on the details of your specific case, you could be eligible to pursue workers' compensation, damages from a civil claim or both.

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