In Pennsylvania, construction site accidents sometimes involve the use of heavy machinery necessary to complete various tasks. Working on construction sites can be very hazardous, and care should be taken in order to lessen the likelihood of serious injury or death as a result of an accident.
Each year, an average of 150,000 people are injured in construction site accidents in the United States. In 2013, 824 construction workers lost their lives as a result of construction accidents. Of injury accidents, 35 percent are due to machinery accidents while 14 percent of all workplace fatalities are a result of heavy machinery.
Employers should take steps to ensure safe handling of heavy machinery. First, employers should ensure all staff are fully trained to use the equipment they will be using. Second, employers should have a routine inspection, maintenance and repair schedule for heavy equipment to make certain it is functioning properly. Safety policies and procedures should be clearly communicated to all workers, and employers should remain alert to all potential hazards posed by a particular construction site, taking steps to reduce the hazards. Although construction jobs have deadlines, workers should not be expected to try to make up for the difference by operating heavy machinery too fast as the increase in speed can come with a decrease in safety.
Construction site accidents are some of the most common workplace injury accidents that occur every year. Accidents involving heavy machinery can result in fatalities or serious, potentially permanently-disabling injuries. When employees are seriously injured at a construction site while working, they may benefit by consulting a workers' compensation attorney for advice about filing a workers' compensation claim. Injured workers may be able to recover benefits for all medical expenses, treatment needs, associated prosthetic devices and income lost from work due to the injury.
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