Safety Tips for Construction Workers and What to Do if You are Injured While Working on a Construction Site in Pennsylvania

Construction Accident Statistics

The construction industry is among the most dangerous industry for workers in the United States. According to statistics recently released by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”), of the 4,674 work-related fatalities that were reported by private sector industry employers in 2017, 971 or 20.7% occurred in the construction industry. Because working on a construction site is rather dangerous, here are some tips to help keep you safe while working on a construction site and helpful tips on what to do if you’re injured in Pennsylvania.

Safety Tips

OSHA reports that there are four primary causes of work-related injuries in the construction industry. These four causes are falls, being struck by an object, electrocution, and getting stuck in between materials or machinery. To better safeguard yourself against suffering an injury due to one of these four causes, it is prudent to follow the following safety tips:

Wear Protective Gear

Wearing protective gear like hard hats, steel-toe boots, safety glasses, gloves, and properly fitting safety harnesses while working at a construction site can drastically reduce the risk of injury to a construction worker. Hard hats and steel-toe boots protect workers and minimize the risk of injury in the event they are struck by a falling object and that object hits their head or falls on their foot or if the worker falls from a ladder or scaffolding. Safety glasses and gloves can minimize the risk of injury to workers’ eyes, face, and hands from flying debris or use of sharp objects that can cause lacerations. Using properly fitting safety harnesses can better prevent a worker from suffering injury if he or she slips and falls from a scaffolding, ladder, or another high distance because it can catch the worker before he or she hits the ground.

Get Adequate Sleep the Night Before a Shift

Because construction workers often work with power tools and other heavy machinery that can maim or kill them if not handled properly, construction workers need to be able to pay close attention when performing their job functions. If workers are fatigued, they may either fall asleep while working with heavy machinery or power tools or lose focus, both of which can lead to fatal and non-fatal injuries to the worker. Getting an adequate amount of sleep before working a shift can help prevent a worker from becoming too fatigued to execute their job functions properly.

Attend Safety Trainings Provided by Employers

Construction companies sometimes require workers to participate in safety trainings to ensure that they know how to properly use and maintain construction tools and equipment and to preform certain jobs in an effort to minimize the chances of being injured due to their own errors.

What to Do if You are Injured While Working at a Construction Site in Pennsylvania

If you are injured while working at a construction site in Pennsylvania, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits or you may be able to bring a viable personal injury lawsuit against either your employer or a third party that caused your injuries. If you are able to, you should take photographs of the scene of the accident and any injuries your sustained and get the contact information of any co-workers, supervisors, or other people that witnessed the incident. Doing so will allow you to have evidence to support your workers’ compensation claim or your personal injury lawsuit. Additionally, you should seek medical attention for your injuries as soon as possible. Not only will this help you recover from the injuries, but it will help to establish that the accident at the construction site caused your injuries and not any other incident. Finally, it is prudent to obtain the services of an experienced attorney to represent you if you are filing a workers’ compensation claim or a personal injury claim. Experienced attorneys are skilled in filing and litigating these types of claims and will help you get the monetary compensation you deserve for having sustained these work-related injuries.

Contact an Erie Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Construction Accident Case in Pennsylvania

Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a construction accident in Pennsylvania? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury and workers’ compensation attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Purchase George & Murphey P.C. represent clients injured because of construction accidents in Erie, North East, Meadville, Titusville, and throughout Pennsylvania. Call (814) 273-2010 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 2525 W. 26th Street, Erie, PA 16506, as well as offices in North East, PA and Meadville, PA.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.