2 construction workers die every day

On Behalf of | Dec 2, 2015 | Construction Accidents

Think working in construction can’t be as dangerous as it is often made out to be? Studies have shown that two workers die every single day in the construction industry, all across the United States.

When looking at overall numbers for fatalities in the workplace, construction alone contributes to about 20 percent—one out of five—of these deadly accidents. Clearly, this is a dangerous industry, and the claims that are often thrown around about it are true.

So, what are the top reasons for these many accidents? When looking at deadly accidents—and not the overall accident totals—it is found that falls are the most common issue. They account for 36.9 percent of all deaths on the job in this industry.

Next comes workers who are struck by objects, with 10.3 percent. This category could be used, for example, when something falls off of the top of a building and hits a worker who is on the ground.

After that are electrocutions, with 8.9 percent of the total, and then workers who are stuck between two different objects, with 2.6 percent. Electrocutions can happen when a hot electrical line is not turned off but a worker is told that it has been, for example, and workers could be caught between items when using vehicles and heavy machinery.

Collectively, these main reasons for deadly accidents have been dubbed the Fatal Four. It’s important for workers in New Jersey to understand the specific risks so that they can take steps to protect themselves. Those who are injured also need to know what types of legal rights they may have to compensation.

Source: EHS Today, “Construction Accidents: The Risks, the Facts and the Repercussions [Infographic],” Sandy Smith, accessed Dec. 02, 2015