Construction Site Injuries

Construction work is one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States. It is estimated that:

o Over 155,000 construction workers were injured in on the job accidents in the last year

o 10% of construction workers will be injured this year

o Falls account for the most common injuries, either from height or from the same level.

o The back is the most frequently injured part of the body, followed by the legs, arms and hands

o Most injured construction workers miss more than 30 days of work after their accidents

Causes of Construction Site Injuries

There are literally thousands of potential hazards on a construction site. Heavy equipment, dangerous chemicals and rushed production schedules can increase the injury rates of workers and even people in the surrounding areas. Most injuries on construction sites involve:

o falls

o collapses or cave-ins

o power tool accidents

o electrical hazards

o exposure to potentially dangerous materials such as asbestos, lead, benzene and vinyl chloride

o electrocution

o trench accidents

o welding accidents or other equipment malfunction

Like most American workers, construction industry employees are legally entitled to a workplace free of hazards and foreseeable accidents. Unfortunately, workplace injury in construction runs significantly higher than the national average. In fact, statistics show that in the last year, construction had the second highest number of workplace fatalities in the country and accounted for an above average number of days lost due to illness or injury. While the law does not allow construction workers to sue their employers while they collect workers’ compensation benefits, injured construction employees are more likely to have a lawsuit than other employees because construction work typically involves multiple contractors.

Types of Construction Site Injuries Sustained

Common construction site injuries include:

o Spinal cord injury caused by falls or equipment failures on a construction site

o Head injury such as a traumatic brain injury caused by a crane or bulldozer accident

o Severe burns and disfigurement such as from fire or electrical or chemical burns

o Loss of limb or amputation such as loss of a hand or an arm in a defective or dangerous machinery accident or unsafe job site practices

o Other injuries such as a neck or back injury or other disabling condition caused by an accident at work

What to Do if You Have been in a Construction Site Accident

If you have been injured on a construction site, the first thing you should do is contact a doctor. After your injury is treated, then you should contact an experienced construction accident attorney for advice. You may be entitled to recover for damages such as:

o past and future medical expenses

o pain and suffering

o lost wages

o other damages incurred as a result of the injury

No matter how you were injured – in a scaffold collapse, trip and fall, faulty wiring or by some other cause – please contact an experienced construction site injury lawyer to explain your rights and the possibilities for recovery of damages for your injuries suffered on the job.

Four Benefits To Turning Online For Your Construction Safety Plan Generation

There are many resources companies regularly turn to in order to help improve business efficiency and identify solutions that will help to expand revenue potential. While the utilisation of professional attorneys or construction specialists can help a company in the generation of a construction safety plan, these limited resources may no longer represent the best option for you to take advantage of. When seeking to generate this legal documentation in the most efficient manner possible, it would be ideal to take advantage of the many benefits that are provided through the online environment.

First Benefit: Speed in Creation

One of the greatest complaints of most companies when it comes to the generation of a construction site safety plan through outsourcing is the incredible amount of time it takes to create these plants. Businesses rely on timing in order to take advantage of opportunities that will assist them in expanding business potential and meeting client demand. Through the resources of the online environment you will be able to take advantage of a tool that is designed to support the speed in the creation of this documentation.

Second Benefit: Limiting Legal Demands

The second benefit that is discovered when a company pursues the utilisation of a construction safety plan creation through the online environment is found with limiting their legal demands. New legislation is constantly being updated on various safety and business demands in the construction environment and the utilisation of an online resource can allow you to remain updated on all this information without the hassle of research or hiring of high-cost outsourcing.

Third Benefit: Low Cost

Saving money is a primary focus of every business and the high cost resources of outsourcing can often put a dent in your profit margin or bid opportunity. Through the online resources which supports the generation of a construction site safety plan you will be able to significantly reduce your businesses expenses by avoiding the utilisation of a professional. At a fraction of the cost you can take advantage of high quality documentation that is easy to utilise and does not require the expense of a construction or legal professional.

Fourth Benefit: Continuous Support

The final benefit you will be able to discover from an investment into an online resource for your construction safety plan demand is found with continuous support. This is not a one-time opportunity for a company to take advantage of but a system that is designed to meet all the demands of safety plan generation so they can continuously benefit from this effort through one investment.

Each of these benefits display why so many companies have made the investment into the potential that exists with online resources to support their construction site safety plan generation. To determine the greatest resource your business can rely upon to assist in the accomplishment of these required documents, start by visiting http://www.safetyplans.com.au.

Where to House Your Construction Workers – Construction Trailers

Construction projects are major endeavors that involve a lot of equipment – those heavy machinery used to transport and move large materials, and a lot people – the construction workers. The larger the construction project, the greater the number of equipment and people is needed. One important aspect to consider when doing a project is where to house the construction workers. For a lot of projects this is not a problem since the workers can just go home at the end of the day. However, for some projects that are made far away from home, workers need a place to stay. The solution for such situations would be the use of construction trailers.

Housing construction workers has been a problem in the past before the availability of construction trailers. Before, construction workers had to build barracks whenever they have projects that are far away from their homes or that require round-the-clock supervision. This proved to be quite costly since the barracks would then have to be disposed of once the project is completed. Because of these people thought it to be more practical to house construction workers in temporary shelter than can easily be moved around without the need of building and destroying. This is how construction trailers came about.

There are many construction trailers available these days. Normally, construction trailers are leased instead of owned, but some large construction companies can afford to buy their own trailers and use them for several projects. Otherwise, contractors just rent trailers whenever needed, this is more convenient since different construction sites would call for different kinds of construction trailers. When selecting a construction trailer there are some things to consider:

First it is important to know how much space can be allotted for the trailer. It would be difficult to have the construction trailer delivered to the construction site and then having to send it because it does not fit. Not only is this expensive, it is also very much time consuming and not to mention embarrassing.

Second, it is very much essential how many workers the trailer would be housing. Generally, a person would need at least around 150 square feet of living space. It is important to know how many people would be staying in the trailer or trailers to know if there is enough space for everybody. More people would also require for more bathrooms, storage spaces and meeting rooms.

Lastly, it is important to determine how long the trailer would be needed. The project may last only for just a few months or to about a year and leasing would probably be the best option. But for super projects that would go on for several years, it might be wiser to buy a trailer instead to minimize the total costs of the project.

The size of the construction trailer should not only be the consideration when getting one. There are many other things to check out to make sure that they serve their purpose well. It is not uncommon to find trailers that are rather old. Normally, vendors would repair and maintain the units but it is always advisable to ask whether a unit is brand new or if it has been refurbished. You would want to get a decent trailer because it is where your workers would be living. It is very important to check out the unit yourself before renting it to know that every part of the deal has been fulfilled. It is important to check the wiring, the availability of restrooms, climate control and the security of the unit.

Construction trailers are very useful in major construction projects. To know more about these, you simply need to contact your local vendor or search for one online.