Fall accidents are the No. 1 cause of construction accident deaths. Whether you work on rooftops or on scaffolds, high-rises or residential buildings, the risk of falling is always present. You certainly play a role in fall prevention, but so do your employer and everyone else involved in the project.
Recently, the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) levied penalties against a New Jersey home builder for failing to protect workers from fall hazards.
According to the OSHA press release, the company was building a home in Sea Isle City. Following a November 2012 inspection, OSHA found several violations which have ultimately resulted in nearly $50,000 in proposed penalties.
OSHA says the company exposed its workers to falls from 12 feet or more. This isn’t the first of such violations for the company, who faced similar citations in 2009 and 2011. In addition, workers were found to be working on a makeshift scaffold constructed from a wooden pallet resting on the forks of a front-end loader, a certain safety risk.
Falls are preventable, through proper training, oversight, and adherence to regulations. When workers are not directed in a safe manner, the risks are multiplied. When they are not given the proper equipment, the risks are again increased.
The duty of an accident-free workplace is not yours alone. It’s a responsibility shared by coworkers and, ultimately, the people in charge. When they fall short and an accident happens, they must be held accountable.
Many people are scared to complain about unsafe working conditions, and understandably so. This is your livelihood. But fear of retribution could result in a horrible and preventable accident.
Regardless of whether the accident was something you saw coming or something that caught you by surprise, you could be compensated for the injuries you sustained.
If you’ve been hurt in a New York or New Jersey construction accident, contact the construction accident attorneys of Ginarte today for a free consultation. We can be reached at (888) GINARTE.