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Dangerous Chicago Construction Sites Right Under Your Feet
Fall-related injuries are preventable on construction sites throughout Chicago if proper safety measures, including fall prevention and fall protection, are used by workers and their employers.
September 30, 2011 /Law Enforcement PR News/ -- On a recent July morning in Chicago, a man suffered serious injury after falling into an eight-foot-deep hole in the street. The hole was on a construction site on Chicago's west side, between Ogden Ave. and Lake St.
Construction sites are dangerous places -- large equipment, powerful tools and risky heights create the possibility for serious injury if safety precautions are not followed. It's certainly true that some accidents are simply unavoidable, but more often than not, accidents that occur on construction sites are the direct result of negligence or failure to comply with federal laws and regulations intended to maintain a safe work site.
Falls are the leading cause of death among those working in construction. Chicago construction site accident attorneys assist victims of construction accidents and their families when serious injuries occur when construction sites were not properly inspected or secured.
Federal Regulations Intended to Create a Safe Working Environment for Chicago Construction Workers
Over 350 falls on construction sites occur each year; falls from heights account for 1/3 of all construction site accident fatalities. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) lists common causes of fall-related injuries on construction sites:
- Improperly secured holes in floors, walls or sides of construction
- Poorly constructed scaffolding
- Rebar, or steel reinforcement bars that were not capped or bent back
- Faulty positioning of portable ladders
OSHA emphasizes the importance of fall prevention versus fall protection as the most effective method of creating a safe working environment. Guardrails, safety nets and 'personal fall arrest systems' are required fall protection anytime a construction worker is at risk of a 6 foot or greater fall.
Compensation for Injuries Related to Chicago Construction Site Falls
Construction site falls can cause both mild and serious injuries. When a worker is able to walk away from a fall, the construction company has a second chance to create a safe working environment for its employees or contractors. When serious injury occurs, the victim and his or her family have a right to pursue payment from the Illinois workers' compensation program.
Workers' compensation benefits cover medical expenses related to injuries from a construction site fall, disability payments and even death benefits. Disability payments cover lost wages due to an on-the-job injury. If an employee misses three or more days because of an injury from a construction site fall, temporary total disability (TTD) may be available, at the rate of 2/3 of the workers average weekly wages. If the fall results in the employee being permanently unable to work, permanent total disability (PTD) may be available to the injured worker.
An Illinois workers' compensation attorney can further explain the benefits available to an injured employee who suffered a fall at a Chicago-area construction site.
Article provided by Woodruff Johnson & Palermo, Injury Law Offices
Visit us at www.woodrufflawyers.com
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