Scaffolding accidents occur at construction sites regularly. Just as recently as June of 2019, four masonry construction workers were injured when the scaffolding they were on collapsed and they fell to the ground. The Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) immediately responded to the worksite to review workplace conditions and examine for potential safety violations. According to OSHA, scaffolding safety violations rank high on the list of “most frequently cited standards in the construction industry” (https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/scaffolding/construction.html). If you have been injured as a result of a scaffolding accident, you may have grounds for a claim for your financial losses.
Construction sites are notoriously dangerous workplaces. The danger is created by the materials used, the height of the construction, and the tools and equipment necessary in completing the job. Since these sites are inherently dangerous, workers may suffer injuries including those caused when scaffolding collapses.
There are many different reasons that scaffolding could collapse. For example, sometimes the scaffolding collapses because companies, or people, fail to adhere to proper safety standards. OSHA reports that there are 2.3 million construction workers in the United States and that 65 percent of those workers, perform some type of work using scaffolds. This means that more than half of all construction workers are in potentially risky situations. For this reason, OSHA sets safety standards that must be adhered to when utilizing scaffolding on a construction site. These safety standards are reported to have prevented 4500 injuries and 60 deaths every year.
When there are accidents, OSHA investigates and compiles statistics to assist in preventing injuries in the future by enacting corresponding safety regulations. The statistics demonstrate that many scaffolding injuries are due to the following:
In some many cases, it can be proven that the accident would have been avoided but for the negligence of a superior or the company itself.
Negligence is a breach in the standard of care by an individual or company. In the case of construction accidents, the responsible party can vary. Usually, on construction sites, there are site managers who oversee the jobs and are responsible for adhering to proper safety standards. It is possible that the site manager failed to adhere to proper standards when erecting the scaffolding. It is also possible that the site manager failed to provide proper scaffolding or erected a make-shift scaffold. Another obligation of the site manager or company is to inspect the scaffolding for needed repairs, unstable objects, or weight overload. Aside from job site irregularities and failure to adhere to safety standards, it is possible that the scaffolding is defective. In cases involving defective scaffolds, the manufacturer could be liable.
The injuries caused by scaffolding accidents can be deadly. Even if the original injuries seem minor, the financial loss due to missing work can wreak major financial havoc in your life. Keeping this in mind, you may be entitled to worker’s compensation and compensation for your physical injuries and financial losses. Contact attorneys serving across Wayne, Clifton, Totowa, Little Falls, Woodland Park, and throughout all of Passaic and Essex counties.
Contact our office today to discuss your claim. We offer personalized legal counsel to fit the unique needs of all our personal injury and work-related accidents clients. Contact us online or through our Little Falls office today at 973-233-4396 for a free consultation.