Common Types of Construction Accidents
Falls From Roofs, Ladders and Scaffolding
Many construction workers are asked to perform their jobs at high elevations. For obvious reasons, these specialized workers are exposed to hazards that greatly outweigh those of their land based colleagues. In fact, accidents from falls are the most common cause of construction related fatalities in the United States, constituting 10% of all work related deaths. Most fall related accidents are caused by equipment failure or improper use of safety gear while working on scaffolding, skylights, rooftops, ladders, and building tops.
Most falls are preventable if proper safety precautions are taken. Accidents usually occur when employers seek to cut corners to save time and money or workers are improperly trained to use the safety equipment they are provided.
While surprising, most falls do not occur off tall skyscrapers or other extremely high elevations. The bulk of falls resulting in serious injuries occur in small, routine constructions jobs. An untold number of falls have occurred when a person removes a section of plywood and fails to post a warning that the floor cannot support weight. In this situation, an unknowing worker who had no reason to think the floor would not be there finds himself stepping onto a flimsy piece of plastic laid over a large hole.
Ladder and scaffolding accidents are another source of frequent injuries due to falls. In fact, 41% of all falls occur from ladders. Workers may become distracted while on a ladder or scaffolding or fail to keep their body properly positioned. Improperly built scaffolding can result in a fall for even the most cautious of workers. Scaffolding provided at the workplace should have guardrails in place. If not, at the minimum, the worker should be provided a safety harness, especially if working on a rolling scaffold.
The following are some scaffolding parts that are sometimes neglected, the result of which can cause a worker to fall:
Scaffold Base: Should be set on an adequately firm sill or pad. Otherwise, dangerous slipping or sinking could result. Any surface used to support a scaffold should be sufficient to support the maximum possible weight load of the scaffold.
Fastening (Lock) Pins: You should use these at all frame connections.
Base Plates: Base plates must be used on all non-mobile scaffolding. Combination base plates with screwjacks should follow a 2:1 ratio meaning the outside length of the exposed screw should be no more than twice the length of the inside screw. Before setting up the scaffolding, all base plates should be inspected to ensure there is no damage. Consult the manufacturers guide for other requirements.
Guard Railing: Guard railing should have top rails and mid rails. OSHA guidelines mandate fall protection on all scaffolds in conditions where the worker could potentially fall more than 10 feet or more to a lower level. Guard railing applied to follow OSHA guidelines should be erected with a top rail height of 38 to 45 inches above the work platform. The erection of mid rails must be done midway between the top rails and the work platform. Top rails must be erected to resist a force of 205 pounds vertically or horizontally.
Scaffold Ties: The first tie should be applied at the horizontal member of the frame nearest to the 4:1 base to height ratio. For example, if you are installing 5-feet wide frames, the first tie should be placed at the horizontal member of the frame as near to the 20-feet height as it can possibly be. Once the first tie is installed, all other ties must be installed at height levels under 26 feet. Moreover, ties must be applied at each end of the scaffold and at horizontal levels under 30 feet. All ties should be able to resist a pull or push force of 2,500 pounds. Remember: More ties may be required when enclosing a scaffold or in conditions of strong winds. If you are not sure, always err on the side of safety and review your scaffold set-up plans, manufacturing guidelines, and consult with a professional engineer before getting started.
Side Brackets: If using side brackets, it is important to take note that brackets are designed for supporting people only. Don’t ever use side brackets to load supplies or serve as support for storage. Make sure to review the manufacturer’s guidelines to determine the load capacity of the side brackets. Make sure not to exceed them. The majority of brackets are designed to hold a load of 500 pounds. When figuring out the load maximum for a particular bracket, you have to include the load in the area of .5 of the bay on each side of the bracket. Side brackets should be protected against uplift by wiring to the frame or pinning.
Adjusting screws: The preferred method for adjusting to uneven grade conditions is to use adjusting screws or other safety approved methods.
Toe-boards: OSHA regulations mandate toe-boards on every side of the work platform at an elevation of 10 feet or more. Toe-boards must exceed 3.5 inches in height and resist a force of 50 pounds or greater horizontally and vertically (downward).
Work Platform Decking: OSHA regulations mandate that all work levels be completely decked. An OSHA chart is available to figure out platform load capacity when using plank. If the scaffolding will utilize planks or decks, the installer must not exceed the manufacturer determined load capacity. Before using the scaffolding, inspect all planks and platforms. It is also a good idea to check for proper overlap of the planks.
Possible Results From A Fall
Falls can result in some of the most traumatic accidents. Long-term debilitating injuries from the fall may result in the expenditure of large sums of money for medical expenses and nursing care. A worker who takes a serious fall will likely never work in construction again. The family may suffer as the worker is no longer able to earn a wage.
Fortunately, to address this reality, laws have been enacted to protect workers who fall off ladders or scaffolding while engaged in the construction, repair, cleaning, or alteration of a structure or building (excluding most family residence)(see section entitled construction accident laws). Some of these laws mandate absolute liability, or liability without taking into account fault, on building owners, their agents, or contractors who fail to provide safety equipment to prevent falls from working in elevations.
These laws do not provide only for lost wages as is the case with Workers Compensation benefits. Rather they often have provisions for full wages and benefits, pain and suffering, and medical expenses. New York State has an especially powerful law known as Labor Law Section 240 or the “Scaffold Law”. The law provides protection to workers who are injured in falls (see Section titled Construction Accident Laws).
If your were injured in a fall off a ladder, scaffolding, roof, or any other elevated surface, and were not provided a safety harness, netting, security railing, or other proper protective measure, you may have the right to sue the party responsible for securing your safety. You may be able to sue under the laws mandating absolute liability, the scaffold law, and still obtain regular workers compensation benefits. Call The Law Offices of Jonathan B. Nelson, PC right away for a no obligation case evaluation. You may be entitled to a large sum of money in the form of compensation.
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