Causes of Construction Accidents

Are you wondering what the causes of construction accidents are? Houston’s workplace-related fatality rate was several times those of Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio, and the Houston metro area even outranked Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City in terms of construction-related mishaps and injuries. Though Texas’s construction injury rate has steadily been declining, the state still has a long way to go in improving safety conditions on construction sites.

Causes of Construction Accidents | Falling

OSHA reports that the most common cause of injuries and fatalities on construction sites is falling. Tripping over exposed wires, slipping on water, and tumbling from great heights constituted almost 40 percent of construction worker deaths in 2016. If leaks are not stopped in time, railings are not adequately supported, or scaffolding is not secure, the chance of slipping, tripping, and falling is all too high.

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Causes of Construction Accidents | Transportation Accidents

Other frequent reasons behind construction-related fatalities are transportation accidents, exposure to unsafe objects, and contact with dangerous materials. Crashes between two motor vehicles, collisions between a vehicle and a stationary object, and overturned vehicles together accounted for one quarter of injuries and deaths among construction workers and pedestrians alike. One in six workers suffered injuries due to falling objects and becoming trapped in collapsing buildings and structures, and factors such as electrocution, overdoses, and heat contributed to another 15 percent of deaths.

Causes of Construction Accidents | Safety Violations

Many of these fatalities and injuries stem from violations of workplace safety standards. Inadequate scaffolding, poor communication, insufficient protections against respiratory threats, and issues with wiring are all unacceptable hazards. Construction workers and pedestrians whose injuries stem from any of these safety violations may have legal recourse, so consulting a Houston personal injury attorney will only help them recover from their accidents.

If these causes of construction accidents apply to you, please call our Houston construction accident lawyer to get a free consultation.