Top Causes of Construction Accident Injuries and How to Prevent Them
Construction workers have a direct impact on our economy and lifestyles. Still, we see thousands of deaths and injuries every year due to construction site accidents. However, goodwill and following some safety measurements can minimize the risk to a great extent.
That’s why the Red Deer construction accident lawyers always encourage all the individuals at the contraction site to maintain the safety rules.
In this article, I’ll discuss the top causes of construction accident injuries and how to prevent them in detail. So, let’s start!
Common Causes of Construction Accident Injuries
The top causes of construction accident injuries are given below.
1. Falls
Falls are the most common cause of deaths and injuries on construction sites. Falling from ropes, ladders, etc., can create huge casualties.
Besides, slips or tips are also one of the main reasons. Holes, equipment, uneven ground, etc., of a construction site, increase its risk.
2. Electrocutions
Electrocution also causes a large number of injuries. It happens when workers accidentally touch high-power electrical lines, equipment with problematic circuits, or wiring without appropriate gear.
3. Struck by an object
The casualties happen due to dropping objects, suspended loads coming off, flying debris, or others falling into this category. When any of these occur, people don’t even have the time to react.
4. Crush injuries
These injuries are called ‘caught between or ‘caught in between’ types of construction accidents. This one happens when a worker’s body crushes or squeezes with tools or gets caught between heavy equipment like tractors or loaders.
Sometimes, crans in the construction site collapse and create fatalities. When an incident like this occurs, it not only causes damage to people but also destroys material assets.
5. Fires
Maximum time fires start with someone’s carelessness or defective electrical material. Whatever the reason, if a fire breaks out during working hours, the casualties occur beyond description. A single fire incident can harm several families and the future of the construction site too.
How to Prevent The Accidents?
Construction accidents affect the worker’s livelihood, but it has a great negative effect on the companies. So, for the betterment of every party, prevention of this kind of accident is a must.
The following points will mention some of the steps that you can consider.
1. Develop A Safety Protocols
First of all, every construction site should develop a safety protocol that every individual of the site will follow. Review the protocols every now and then and improve if any weaknesses are found. For this purpose, it’s better to schedule safety meetings regularly.
These meetings will ensure that all the new employees are aware of the protocol. Besides, everyone can share their opinion here if anything needs to be changed.
2. Use Safety Gear
It’s very important to wear safety gear while working. Basic safety gear of construction sites includes hard hats, earplugs, hard boots, eye protection, etc.
On the other hand, some tasks require specialised equipment, workers in confined spaces must use the correct confined space equipment, and wear masks and gloves. other hand, if the task is needed, workers must wear masks and gloves.
3. Maintain the Equipment Properly
Casualties that happen due to equipment can be prevented when you maintain them properly. Workers who work with risky tools must be taught proper measurement.
4. Warning Signs
A construction site should be full of warning signs of danger or hazards. Those signs need to be clearly written and placed in a place where everyone can see easily.
5. Fall Protection
Since fall is the most common cause of accidental injury, this one needs special attention. These accidents occur most of the time due to poorly organized fall protection covers or not using safety harnesses while working in scaffolds.
Workers themselves and the supervisors must ensure that no one makes any mistake in using the proper equipment.
6. Provide Safety Training
Installing all the safety measurements won’t be enough if the workers don’t know about anything. Therefore, make sure they know everything before starting their work.
And refresher courses also need to be included so that the workers won’t forget what they learn.
Final Words
Now you know the top causes of construction accident injuries and how to prevent them. As an employer, you must deal with these things with the highest priority.
If you get a report of any unsafe condition, don’t delay. Try to solve it as soon as possible.
Stay safe and make a better environment for everyone.