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The Fatal Four

On Behalf of | Dec 28, 2018 | Workplace Injuries

Much of the thrill that comes from working in the construction industry is derived from using complex machinery and equipment to create foundations for massive structures. Like many of those that have come to see us here at Steppacher Law, you likely are willing to accept those risks in order to do what you love. Yet you realizing those are there is different than resigning yourself to the idea that nothing can be done about them. On the contrary, your employer is expected to do all that is necessary to protect you from any known dangers. 

In the construction business, those dangers are well-known. In fact, the details regarding on-the-job construction accidents have been so readily abundant that not only had the industry been listed amongst the most dangerous, but the common dangers that you and your coworkers face have also been identified. Four in particular stand out from among the rest. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has dubbed these “the Fatal Four” due to the fact that they accounted for 63.7 percent of all construction fatalities in 2016. They are: 

  • Falls from heights
  • Being struck by falling objects
  • Electrocution accidents
  • Being caught in or between materials and equipment

Falls specifically make up almost 40 percent of all construction-related fatalities. The fact that such accidents can easily be prevented by the use if harnesses or other safety equipment makes such losses even more tragic. Such precautionary tools should be provided by your employer (or their expense should be reimbursed to you if you are required to pay for them). A failure to provide a means to securing these safety measures can certainly be interpreted to be negligence. 

You can discover more information regarding your options for legal recourse following a workplace injury here on our site.