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Understanding The “Fatal Four”

As a construction worker, you do your best to construct secure and structurally-sound buildings and homes. You want the occupants and inhabitants to feel safe and protected, knowing every precaution was taken during the building process to do so.

So if you’re hurt on the job, and you find out that your employer or a product manufacturer didn’t take the same steps to protect you that you take to protect the building’s occupants, it only adds insult to injury. It’s important to know, however, that you have options.

The Statistics Speak For Themselves

OSHA has some frightening statistics about just how dangerous the construction industry is, and even worse, how many of those injuries could have been prevented. According to OSHA, in 2015, 21.4 percent of deaths in the private industry were in construction. Unfortunately, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2016 report also showed that fatalities in the construction industry were on the rise.

What’s The Fatal Four?

The four most common causes of construction worker injury are sometimes referred to as “the Fatal Four.” In order of most deaths to the least in injuries suffered on the job, the list includes:

  • Falls
  • Being hit by an object
  • Electrocutions
  • Being caught in or in-between objects

Not surprisingly, OSHA also states that in 2016, the most frequently cited OSHA standards violation was protecting workers from falls while working in the construction industry. When companies violate OSHA standards that are designed to help prevent falls on construction sites, workers are susceptible to serious injury, if not death from falls.

What To Do If You Are Hurt On The Job

If you are hurt on a construction site, of course, the most important thing to do is to get the medical help you need. Even if you aren’t sure it’s necessary, documenting your injuries and the pain you are experiencing is always a good idea.

It’s also wise to contact an attorney who can help you understand all of your options and help you get the compensation you deserve. There could be multiple negligent parties involved – from the construction site supervisor to a defective machine or improper safety training. A good attorney can help sift through all of the details in order to determine who, in some cases more than just your employer, should be held liable for your injuries and suffering.

It’s your job to build safe structures, and someone should be keeping you safe while you do so.  When they don’t, you have a legal remedy for fair and just compensation.

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