Building construction is a common sight in a busy city like Las Vegas. While construction provides numerous jobs for residents, it is unfortunately one of the most dangerous industries to work in.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10 people lost their lives in construction-related accidents in Nevada in 2014. Out of these deaths, four were due to falls and one occurred as a result of contact with equipment or an object.
Falls and being struck by an object, states the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration, are two of the most common ways for construction workers to be fatally injured on the job. Electrocution and being caught in or between objects or machinery are two other serious work hazards in construction. These four accident types, in fact, are called the “fatal four” among construction workers and safety professionals. Over half of the job fatalities for construction workers in 2014 were attributed to the fatal four. Safety experts state that eliminating these accidents would spare 518 construction workers in America each year.
Some of the dangers that construction workers face include falling from scaffolding or having scaffolding collapse as they are standing on it; being struck by objects falling from above; being shocked or electrocuted by faulty power tools; or getting caught in moving machinery. A construction worker could also be injured working on power cables that were not de-energized or properly grounded, or become trapped or crushed inside an excavation if the trench walls collapsed. In some cases, the liability for an accident belongs to the construction company, if an employee is put to work without adequate training or if safety regulations are not enforced by the employer.
