Accidents occur on construction sites at an incredible rate. Well over 1,000 construction workers die during a typical year on U.S. construction projects. However, there are things a construction company can do to increase its safety record and, ultimately, reduce its overhead.
Most Common Injuries on Construction Projects:
According to OSHA, on any given day, nearly 6.5 million people work at more than 250,000 construction sites across the United States. Construction ranks as the most dangerous employment industry in the United States. No matter how much safety training an employer provides, and no matter how safe employees try to be, the reality is that people climbing up and down ladders or scaffolding, working around trenches, climbing on roof systems, operating machinery, and handling dangerous tools for several hours a day are substantially more likely to suffer a work-related injury than employees in other industries.
While OSHA and other safety-related rules and regulations have helped the cause, there are still countless accidents every day as a result of, e.g., falls, electric shock, collapsed scaffolding or ladders, and failure to use personal protective equipment and/or (most likely) failure to use it properly. Some people point to untrained workers or lack of attention to safety regulations, while others point at the contractors themselves, claiming they put profits ahead of safety and cut corners. If you’re running a construction-related business, don’t be the latter.
You can run a safe construction business, still make money, and not unnecessarily put your employees in unsafe environments. I see successful businesses do it every day. Not only are OSHA citations and fines capable of being quite significant, but insurance premiums rise as accidents increase. Don’t pay dearly on the back-end of an accident - invest in training, enforce the safety rules related to the training, and then re-invest in training. It might seem like you spend a lot of time dealing with safety prevention, but that time will pale in comparison to the time you spend dealing with work-related injuries. In addition, not to get all warm and fuzzy, but you will feel good knowing you’re doing the right thing – doing what you can to keep your employees as safe as possible.
For additional information regarding litigation and commercial contractors in Iowa, contact the Goosmann Law Firm at info@goosmannlaw.com or call 712-226-4000.
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