In New Jersey, across the nation and all over the world, one of the most dangerous jobs that people can do is working construction. This is no surprise given the innate risks involved with the work. It is physically and mentally taxing. There is heavy equipment and large tools in use. Workers are stationed at substantial heights. People must work together to complete specific tasks. Electricity, trenches, the possibility of weather-related mishaps and generally unexpected occurrences can come about.
In short, injuries and fatalities can happen without warning. As part of the aftermath of a construction accident, those seeking workers’ compensation or filing a legal claim after suffering personal injury will want to know who was responsible for the accident and injury. Knowing how construction sites work and what government entities say about its necessary safeguards is key with this issue.
OSHA guidelines for safe construction sites should be known
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a regulatory agency that oversees workplaces to make sure they are safe and in compliance with the law. In potentially dangerous workplaces like construction sites, this is an essential role.
The project itself will have a blueprint and objectives that must be met from the perspective of the property owner, the construction company, its contractors and subcontractors. For a safe job site, there should be a focus on health and safety, leadership, a system where problems can be reported as they occur, proper training, frequent inspections, hazard control, emergency procedures and improvements as needed.
While these are obvious, they are not always followed for various reasons. For example, if an employer puts profit over safety and hires people who are either untrained or frightened to speak out because they do not want to lose their job, it can make everyone unsafe. This puts the onus directly on the employer for not following the guidelines.
Equipment makers and providers might lack vigilance in what they provide. Those who are put in charge could lack the training and credentials to do so. If the proper safety items are not provided, such as harnesses, hardhats and first aid kits, this leaves the company and those who are responsible for it at fault if the unfortunate happens.
Getting the right help is crucial when seeking answers after a construction accident
Just recently, it was revealed that a New Jersey job site was said to have let three contractors face the possibility of being electrocuted. They were working near power lines at an apartment project. OSHA inspectors went to the site and found the workers were five feet away from high-voltage lines. They were told to stop all work because of the risk. Warning signs were ordered to prevent this from happening again. Two months later, it happened again. The company was fined heavily and it was fortunate that the workers were not hurt.
This is an example of what can happen on a construction site. While there were no injuries in this case and the company faced sanctions, other problems on various construction projects frequently go unnoticed. When there have been work injuries, people need to think about their future.
Making a mistake or being hurt because of errors or negligence on the part of others is a major problem financially, physically and personally. It can be exacerbated by failing to get the right kind of help to assess the incident and seek the maximum in compensation for all that was lost.
Getting the right kind of professional guidance can be fundamental to being fully covered and cared for after someone else’s mistake. Getting hurt once is bad enough. Getting hurt twice by failing to get the right legal guidance makes it far worse.