Hazards for Pedestrians
The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says the fatal injury rate is highest in the construction industry. OSHA's records for 2004, the latest available at this time, indicate the nation's 252,000 construction sites employ 6.5 million people but it's not just the workers who need to understand the dangers surrounding life in construction. Construction accidents happen to pedestrians and passers-by, too.
Innocent bystanders, visitors to construction sites, and the average Joe working can sustain personal injury when accidents happen on a construction site. Of OSHA's top ten list of safety violations, most of them can endanger people off the clock as well as on it.
Top 10 Safety Violations
1). Scaffolding — When scaffold collapses, things go flying. Watch out for flying tool boxes, loose tools, and anything airborne.
2). Falls — Whether it falls on you or you fall on it, it hurts.
3). Excavations — When the walls start to cave in, it takes surrounding things with it. Hopefully, it won't take you.
4). Ladders — Some of them seem too tall and fragile for their own good. Steer clear of them all.
5). Head Protection — That means construction workers' heads but what they drop can leave a big bump on yours.
6). Excavation Protection Systems — When it's big and deep, taking a peek is tempting but some things are better seen from a distance. Don't get too close. Nobody wants you to fall in.
7). Hazard Communication — Walkie talkies fall. Back-up beepers mean hey, I can't see you. Sometimes the only warning of a hazardous situation is a shout out. Believe it.
8). Fall Protection — Harnesses, safety belts, and everything meant to keep the worker in place can get tangled, dropped, or spread out in a big mess that invites a trip. . . to the emergency room.
9). Construction in General — Construction sites mean lots of things going on involving lots of people in a dangerous line of work. Keep them safe by keeping yourself safe by staying away.
10). Electrical — Do not touch electrical wiring. Do not touch electrical wiring. Do not touch electrical wiring.
So what do you do when you've looked up, watched where you're walking, avoided moving machinery, and still got hurt in a construction accident? In New York City, call Koenigsberg & Associates Law Offices. They'll safely guide you through all the right moves.
