Construction accidents from falls and unsafe ladders
Slipping on a banana skin or falling from a ladder, while once a common Laurel and Hardy joke, is no laughing matter when it happens at work. Falls from height are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, despite the fact that many construction accidents can be prevented if fall protection safety standards are properly adhered to.
Unsafe ladders can cause deaths
Ladders that are too short, unstable, incorrectly erected or not opened all the way can contribute to the incidence construction accidents and falls from ladders are also often connected with unstable ladders if they are not put up properly.
It's a well-known fact that anybody falling from great height will accelerate until they hit a fixed object.Consequently, falls from taller ladders have a higher risk of resulting in a fatal accident.
Choosing the right ladder for the job is therefore extremely important and there are hundreds of specialised ladders specifically designed for different jobs. It is the employer's responsibility to provide adequate protection in the form of the correct ladder to prevent a fall, but workers should also make sure they are using the right ladder for the job.
Ladders should be selected that are suitable for the task, safe for the job, appropriate to the height of work, in good condition and capable of being properly secured. They should be erected on a firm surface and regularly inspected to make sure they're safe and secure enough to support and protect workers.
Safety harnessing systems
Personal protective equipment, such as a safety harnesses, is often used when working on structures such as scaffolding, bridges and some ladders. Many workers become lazy, wanting to reduce the time it takes to put the harness on and off, or choose not to use them completely, while some other workers are simply not provided with them by their bosses. This can have fatal consequences.
An employer’s failure to provide a worker with safety harness could have a significant bearing on the outcome of a work accident claim.
Harness systems should be properly stored and inspected to make sure they're safe and secure enough to support and protect workers, and also properly used.
Information about equipment and training for work at height and rescue, including using safety harness systems, can be found at www.heightec.com.
IPAF Safety Harness Training for MWEP operators, for anyone that uses, supervises or manages the use of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPS) and needs to be aware of safety harness procedures is offered by various organisations across the UK. Read more at www.kingfisheraccess.co.uk
Slips, trips and falls
These types of construction accidents are extremely commonplace and are not trivial, as they can result in back injuries, head traumas, broken bones as well as other serious conditions.
It is not uncommon for slips to be caused by unmopped water, while trips are often caused by feet catching against a loose electrical cable or water hose in a work area. Keeping the workplace clear and tidy and making sure that any loose items are suitably covered or secured is often enough to remove the slip risk.
Good traction can decrease the likelihood of a fall substantially and using covered floor surfaces and proper footwear with a strong grip is recommended. The SLAM process (stop, look, analyse and manage) can help to identify potential hazards and reduce the incidence of work accident claims.
Making a personal injury construction accident claim
Even minor incidents that take place in a workplace environment resulting in a personal injury can have very serious consequences. Slips, trips and falls constitute a workplace construction accident as much as any other type of work-related incident.
Talk to our team of personal injury specialists and they will let you know whether you are entitled to make a claim.
They will then put you in touch with someone from our panel of expert no win, no fee solicitors, who between them have an excellent success rate in resolving work accident claims.
We work on a no win no fee agreement and your personal injury claim will be completely cost-free. We do not take a cut and guarantee that of any money awarded, you will receive 100% compensation.
