Construction workers put their lives on the line each work day. There are laws on the books that are meant to help keep all construction workers safe. Any construction worker who has been harmed while on the job should determine what options they have for seeking the compensation that can help them to cover bills and live life. This is especially important when construction workers have to miss work or are unable to work again because of the severity of the injuries they suffered.
4 accidents account for the majority of construction deaths
There are four types of construction accidents that lead to the majority of fatalities. The most common of these is falls, which accounted for 39.9 percent of fatalities in 2014. Behind falls were electrocutions, struck bys, and caught in/between accidents. If these four accident types were eliminated 545 worker lives could be saved each year.
Construction companies should ensure that they are providing adequate and appropriate protections and safety protocol to help keep their workers safe as they help to build the structures that keep the country moving forward.
New York has a special law regarding scaffolding
New York has a special law on the books, which is dubbed the Scaffold Law, that aims to keep workers as safe as possible. Section 240 of the Labor Law imposes absolute liability on the construction company when it comes to accidents on scaffolds. General contractors and property owners can be held liable in specific circumstances for all accidents, including those involving workers and non-workers. Some people oppose this law because it has regulations that are stricter than those found in the Occupational Health and Safety Administration regulations.
People in New York who are injured in accidents involving scaffolding should find out how this state law impacts their right to seek compensation for the injuries they suffered.
Hispanic and Latino workers die at an alarming rate
The 2014 statistics on construction worker deaths show that 804 of the deaths in that year, or at least 15 per week, were Latino or Hispanic. There are an average of 13 construction worker deaths per day, every single day of the year. Of those, at least two per day are Latino. Hispanics and Latinos who are injured in accidents at construction sites should be sure to check out their options for seeking compensation.
