Workplace Falls Lawyers

1. Inadequate Fall Protection

Employers have a duty to provide employees with the tools and equipment they require to do their tasks safely. When workers operate at heights, it includes supplying safety equipment that minimizes the danger of a fall.

The extent of fall protection required varies by industry and the tools used. The following are some examples of good fall prevention on a construction site:

• Harnesses (also called personal fall arrest systems)
• Guardrails (required on scaffolding, scissor lifts, and other enclosed work platforms)
• Safety nets

OSHA requires that these precautions be taken to minimize harm. For example, enclosed platforms must have guardrails that are at least 42 inches high and fully surround the surface where people walk around.

Unfortunately, most falls on construction sites are the result of employees not having the right protective gear to prevent them. In incidents involving insufficient fall protection, there are a number of typical circumstances:

Workers Are Provided Safety Gear But It Suffers Wear And Tear

Falls may occur as a result of:

• Worn harness straps
• Malfunctioning buckles on harnesses
• Harnesses that don’t fit the worker’s size or weight
• Loose or faulty hooks and rings on harnesses

Errors In Construction Make Fall Protection Ineffective

 Leading to accidents such as:

• Falls from scaffolding due to improperly installed guardrails
• Scaffolding collapse
• Improper rigging of safety nets

OSHA violations

such as:

• Missing guardrails
• Lack of personal fall arrest systems
• Fall protection that fails to meet weight bearing requirements

Workers may not be killed by plummeting from a building’s edge. A six-foot fall onto concrete or hard ground may be fatal.

Employers who fail to prevent accidents on the job may be held responsible for injuries and fatalities. It’s in your best interest to contact an attorney as soon as possible to discuss your rights following the accident.

What Else Can Trigger Construction Site Falls?

Falls caused by inadequate fall protection are one of the most common types of construction site accidents. However, they are not the only reason for accidental falls on construction sites. Other frequent factors in construction fall claims include:

Unfinished Roofs

Roofs account for one-third of construction worker fatalities caused by falls, according to OSHA. Roofs under development pose a slew of hazards to employees, including:

• Unguarded edges of the roof
• Falls through openings, such as unfinished portions of the roof, skylights, etc.
• Falls along the leading edge of the roof (the part of the roof under construction)

Many of these incidents are caused by a lack of safety equipment, as well as errors made by foremen, supervisors, and contractors in assigning labor to the structure.

Aerial Lift Accidents

The most frequent causes of aerial lift accidents include several hazardous elements. Aerial lifts are frequently put up on uneven ground, which can cause the lift to tilt, sway, and tip, potentially endangering workers in the bucket at the end of the boom.

Another typical problem in falls from aerial lifts is mechanical failure. Aerial lifts are subject to a number of critical flaws that can cause them to fall and result in other incidents.

Furthermore, unskilled personnel are frequently assigned to operate aerial lifts. Workers can fall from the bucket or platform if mistakes are made with the controls.

Unsafe Ladders

Construction accidents typically include falls from scaffolding, aerial lifts, and other heights. Ladders, on the other hand, are not any safer just because they are closer to the ground. Workers can suffer brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and other catastrophic trauma in falls from less than one story height.

Ladders, like other types of equipment on a construction site, must be checked on a regular basis to ensure that they are in safe working order for employees. Ladders also need to comply with OSHA standards and other safety measures. Falls may happen when the wrong ladder is utilized for the task, rungs break, and other factors.

Tripping And Slipping Hazards

On a construction site, anything may quickly get clogged up with tools, supplies, workers, and other objects. When laborers don’t have much space to maneuver and hazards line the path, the chance of a fall rises significantly.

Slips and falls can lead to tragedy when employees lose their footing while working at heights. A minor error (such as spilling paint or leaving a hammer where someone could trip on it) might result in a fall from scaffolding, an aerial lift, or another elevated work surface.

Workers may also fall from heights as a result of shoddy scaffolding and other platforms. Workers can trip on loose boards, nails and bolts that protrude, among other things. These problems, in conjunction with insufficient fall protection, can cause terrible incidents at the job site.

Grocery store workplace slip and falls are also common and may cause serious injuries, including spinal cord and brain injury. Restaurants are another workplace where slip and falls are common. 

Contact A Construction Accident Lawyer Today

Construction sites are a hazardous environment. Workers’ compensation is an important concern, especially when it comes to falls and other accidents. You may be eligible for workers’ comp benefits without having to show guilt, but many businesses in Texas choose to forgo workers’ comp insurance instead.

The only way to recover losses following a fall is to show that one or more individuals were at blame for the accident. Texas Personal Injury Lawyers can assist you with this.

Please contact Texas Personal Injury Lawyers at (888) 997-2148 right now for a free consultation if you or a loved one was hurt in a fall accident at work. Our construction accident lawyers serve clients throughout Texas.

We take cases on a contingency fee basis and there are no costs unless we win, and the consultation is completely free.