new york city construction workers high up on scaffolds

Causes of Slips, Trips, and Falls in Construction and How to Handle Them

Construction workers are experts in building things and using a wide variety of heavy machinery and tools. However, accidents can happen to even the most experienced construction professionals and cause injuries to both employees and random people simply passing by construction zones.

Here is a closer look at how accidents happen in the construction industry and what you should do if you’re involved in one of these dangerous situations.

How Construction Accidents Happen

Regardless of what type of project is being worked on, there is a lot going on at any construction site. From climbing ladders to lifting equipment, loading materials, and navigating slippery indoor and outdoor surfaces, many things can go wrong without proper precautions in place.

Construction workers can fall off elevated structures, trip over debris on the ground, misuse power tools, or fail to use personal protective equipment like gloves and goggles. People in the general public can also get injured at construction sites if workers haven’t secured elevated objects to prevent them from falling or if they haven’t cleared away demolition materials from sidewalks and parking lots. Electrocutions, being caught between pieces of heavy equipment, and falling over exposed stakes or uncovered holes can result in construction accidents as well.

Preventing Construction-Related Injuries

According to OSHA, approximately 6.5 million people work at around 252,000 construction sites daily across the U.S. and the fatal injury rate in this industry is consistently high. Common things that are slipped and tripped over at construction sites are snow, ice, tools, ladders, lumber, poles, and electrical wiring. To prevent falls due to ladders, make sure that these pieces of equipment are free of grease, dirt, and contaminants. Slips, trips, and falls on construction stairways can be prevented by removing debris and dangerous objects from these areas, installing handrails, and ensuring treads cover steps and landings.

Construction workers should wear work boots with slip-resistant and anti-puncture soles to protect themselves. Employees should also avoid working on scaffolding when it is covered in slippery snow, ice, or rain. For slip and fall accidents and other types of hazards at construction sites, employees should be properly trained in safety measures and attend frequent crew safety meetings throughout the project’s duration.

Why Contact a Slip and Fall Construction Accident Attorney

If you are a construction worker or an innocent pedestrian who has been involved in a slip and fall construction site accident, the Law Office of Jeffrey K. Kestenbaum can help. We have assisted many plaintiffs pursue at-fault parties for construction-related accidents to get them the compensation they need and deserve to recover from their injuries. We won’t stand for companies that cut corners and that don’t put the best interests of their employees and the public first. When you need a Brooklyn construction accident attorney on your side, contact us online or call us at 718-237-5586 to learn more about how to pursue this type of case so that justice is served.