Maintaining and repairing our infrastructure is crucial to the growth and well-being of our society. Construction of new buildings, whether residential, commercial or industrial leads to jobs and a better life for all. But, working in a construction zone can be dangerous.

It is not uncommon for construction workers to deal with large equipment, such as cranes, bucket-loaders and dump trucks, to move supplies or remove dirt or soil from a work zone. If these workers are at the wrong place at the wrong time, such large and powerful machinery could cause serious injuries to construction workers.

Even workers who are not dealing directly with large equipment could fall victim to an injury. Workers throughout the country regularly work on ladders, scaffolding and on communication towers. A collapse or fall from one of these could prove catastrophic, or even deadly. Even power tools have the possibility of defects which could injure a worker.

It is important to understand the risks and hazards you may encounter in your workplace. These types of construction workers’ accidents could lead to serious, catastrophic or even deadly results. While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has protections in place to keep workers informed, trained, properly equipped with safety accessories and represented, as well as rules for employers to ensure a safe working environment, accidents can still happen. If you have been involved in a construction accident, you may want to get more information about personal injury law to see whether you may be entitled to workers’ compensation for your injuries, medical expenses and time out of work.

Source: United States Department of Labor, “Construction Industry,” Accessed June 5, 2017