Everyone knows construction work can be dangerous, but a new study released by the Center for Construction Research and Training shows how dangerous it really is over the course of a 45-year career. The data, drawn from multiple years and numerous national sources, found that nearly all construction workers will experience one or more work-related injuries or illnesses in their career.

A worker has a 75 percent change of suffering a disabling injury and a one in 200 chance of being fatally injured on the job. For Hispanic workers, that likelihood of a fatal construction accident increases by 20 percent. When it comes to work-related illnesses, pulmonary illnesses are a significant problem due to inhalation of construction materials.

Given these statistics, safety equipment and safe work procedures are extremely important. OSHA has recently published revised information explaining workers' rights and how to protect workers in the construction industry. It has also published information on worker protection regarding:

  • Safe use of aerial lifts and how workers can protect themselves from equipment failure, tip-overs, falls and ejection
  • What workers should do before entering confined spaces like underground vaults, tanks, manholes and silos
  • Trench safety systems to prevent injury and death from trench cave-ins
  • Nail gun safety, and
  • Heat stress signs, treatment and prevention

If you have been injured on a construction site, conact a Phoenix personal injury lawyer today.

Source: ISHN, various sources