There are numerous job hazards that put people at risk in the construction sector. Some people have to work with caustic chemicals. Others work in close proximity to dangerous heavy equipment or get exposed to electricity.
Statistics make it clear that gravity is one of the leading risk factors for construction workers. Those working at a significant elevation or below grade are at risk of gravity-related incidents that can put them in the hospital or worse.
Gravity causes many of the worst construction injuries
Falls from a significant elevation are a leading cause of construction worker deaths. Falling from a rooftop or from scaffolding could lead to career-ending or deadly injuries, especially if a worker is not in a harness. Brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and severe fractures are all possible when workers fall.
Construction workers also have to consider the possibility that others could fall and strike them or drop something that hits them. Struck-by incidents involving falling tools or materials are another leading cause of severe injury and death. They can cause many of the same injuries as falls.
Employees working below grade in trenches could also end up hurt due to falling equipment or cave-ins that cause caught-between incidents. They could sustain crush injuries that produce nerve damage or force medical professionals to surgically amputate the damaged body part.
Thankfully, workers’ compensation benefits can provide financial assistance and medical coverage for professionals hurt on the job. Seeking benefits can help injured construction workers pay for treatment and replace lost wages until they recover enough to return to work.
