Working in construction is one of the most dangerous occupations in South Florida. While certain aspects of the job are inherently dangerous, many of the dangers of construction work can—and should—be mitigated with adequate safety precautions. Unfortunately, it is clear that many companies do not do what is necessary to protect their construction workers. In fact, all 10 of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) most-frequently cited safety violations involve failures in the construction industry. When companies put profits before safety, they deserve to be held accountable, and the workers and families who suffer the consequences deserve to recover just compensation.
How Common Safety Violations Lead to Accidents on South Florida Construction Sites
If you’ve been injured on a construction site or lost a loved one in a fatal construction site accident, it is important that you hire a lawyer to investigate. If the accident was preventable, you may be entitled to a significant financial recovery. Here is an overview of how the 10 most common safety violations can lead to serious and fatal construction site accidents in South Florida:1. Inadequate Fall Protection
According to OSHA’s statistics, more than one-third of all fatal accidents on construction sites involve falls to a lower level. As OSHA states, “When working from heights, employers must plan projects to ensure that the job is done safely. . . . When estimating the cost of a job, employers should include safety equipment, and plan to have all the necessary equipment and tools available at the construction site.” Among other safety measures, OSHA also instructs that construction companies should:- Guard floor holes with guardrails and toe boards or a floor hole cover
- Install guardrails and toe boards around elevated open-sided platforms, floors, and runways
- Install temporary stair railings and handrails as required
- Provide construction workers with safety harnesses, lines, and other personal protective equipment as necessary
- Keep walking surfaces clean, dry, and free of other known dangers
2. Inadequate Hazard Communication
Hazardous chemicals can cause severe burns, internal injuries, and chronic illnesses. Pursuant to OSHA regulations, all hazardous chemicals must be appropriately labeled, and construction workers must be made aware of safety risks in language they can understand. From welding to plastering pools, and from installing insulation to painting, a variety of construction jobs involve exposure to potentially harmful substances, particulates, and fumes. As OSHA states, “All employers with hazardous chemicals in their workplaces must have labels and safety data sheets for their exposed workers, and train them to handle the chemicals appropriately.” This obligation frequently goes overlooked on construction sites. If workers aren’t aware of the risks they face, they have virtually no way of protecting themselves—and this is through no fault of their own.3. Inadequate Respiratory Protection
Inadequate respiratory protection is also a major problem in the construction industry. In the words of OSHA, “Respirators protect workers against insufficient oxygen environments, harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, vapors, and sprays. These hazards may cause cancer, lung impairment, diseases, or death.” Not only must companies provide respiratory protection to construction workers who perform dangerous jobs, but they must also provide protection to those who work in their vicinity. When particulates, fumes, and gases are in the air, they spread quickly and indiscriminately. Too often, companies ignore these “invisible” risks, and construction workers may only find out days, weeks, or months later that they are suffering from a work-related medical condition. Sadly, in some cases, this discovery comes too late for treatment to be effective.4. Scaffolding Violations
Each year, there are dozens of scaffolding-related deaths in the United States. As OSHA notes, “[a]ll of these can be controlled by compliance with OSHA standards.” Non-fatal scaffolding accidents are also extremely common, and the vast majority of these accidents are preventable as well. This includes scaffolding accidents that involve:- Improper scaffolding assembly
- Planking or supports giving way
- Slip and trip accidents on scaffolds
- Inadequate fall protection
- Inadequate protection from falling objects
5. Ladder Violations
Although OSHA regulations establish stringent safety requirements for ladders, you wouldn’t know it by looking at the ladders on most construction sites. Many construction workers are forced to ascend and work from ladders that are damaged, too short, too long, or not properly stabilized and supported. While some construction workers get lucky, ladder falls on construction sites are extremely common. Similar to other types of falls, ladder falls frequently result in life-altering or life-threatening injuries. When construction workers are forced to carry equipment or materials up ladders instead of having them carried by a crane or lift, this increases the risk of a serious or fatal fall. Failure to guard the base of a ladder (often due to having too few workers onsite) increases the risk of ladder falls as well.6. Failure to Control Hazardous Energy
Failure to control hazardous energy presents risks for all workers on a construction site. Once the electrical system on a construction site has been connected to power, there is a very real risk that control failures will lead to serious or fatal accidents. While companies should ensure that their employees follow appropriate hazardous energy control procedures, many fail to do so. Failure to follow appropriate lockout/tagout procedures can also lead to accidents when workers are conducting repairs and maintenance on construction equipment. Here, too, OSHA provides clear guidance, yet many construction companies simply do not do what is necessary. Electrocutions from other causes are also very real risks for construction workers. Standing water, light-duty extension cords, damaged extension cords, poorly-maintained tools and equipment, and a variety of other issues can (and do) lead to electrocution accidents on construction sites on a regular basis.7. Powered Industrial Truck (Forklift) Safety Violations
Federal standards govern both the operation of powered industrial trucks (forklifts) and the protection of workers operating in the vicinity of forklifts. OSHA has even published sample daily checklists that companies can use to ensure that their forklifts are as safe as possible. Some examples of OSHA’s guidance regarding safe forklift operation include:- Ensuring that workers operate forklifts according to the manufacturer’s instructions
- Ensuring that forklifts’ seatbelts are operable and in good condition
- Ensuring that workers never exceed a forklift’s rated load
- Ensuring that forklift loads are always stable and balanced
- Ensuring that forklift operators have adequate visibility
- Providing adequate training to forklift operators
- Performing routine maintenance on forklifts to ensure that they are operating efficiently