Personal Injury Lawyers in Utah Discuss Common Construction Injuries
If you work doing construction, statistics are not in your favor, and it is wise to take extra caution to make sure you are safe. Out of 4,114 worker fatalities in 2011, there were 721 fatalities in construction. If you have been injured on a construction job, an injury attorney Utah can depend on can help you get your case started today.
According to the United States Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the primary cause of worker deaths at constructions sites were falls, making up 35 percent of the deaths in 2011. Most falls can be prevented with proper care and following OSHA standards. Contact personal injury lawyers in Utah if you have been injured in a fall.
After falls, the next major causes were electrocutions, being struck by an object, and being caught-in/between. OSHA has termed these the “Fatal Four” of construction because they were the cause of over half of the construction worker deaths in 2011.
This is how the fatal four break out percentage wise:
Falls: 35 percent or 251/721 total deaths in construction in 2011
Electrocutions: 9 percent or 67/721 total deaths in construction in 2011
Stuck by Object: 10 percent or 73/721 total deaths in construction in 2011
Caught-in/between: 3 percent or 19/721 total deaths in construction in 2011
Coinciding with this, several of the most frequently cited OSHA standards violated in 2011 were problems with scaffolding, fall protection, ladders, and electrical and wiring methods, among others.
OSHA says that eliminating the fatal four would save 410 workers’ lives in America every year.
If you or someone you love has been injured or killed on a construction job, contact an injury attorney to find out if you have a good case. Shumway Van & Hansen always offers free consultations and often times can schedule an appointment within 24 hours so call if you have been involved in a construction accident.