Construction Accident
Oklahoma Construction Accidents that Result in Permanent Disabilities
A construction site accident can result in extremely serious injuries that may result in permanent or lifelong disabilities. According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), construction is the most dangerous industry in the United States. Construction sites have the potential for serious accidents, including falls, slip-trip-and-falls, trench cave-ins, scaffold collapses, falling debris, and equipment malfunctions. Construction accidents can result in catastrophic injuries such as limb amputations, blindness, head injury causing brain damage, spinal cord injuries (paralysis, quadriplegia, or paraplegia), shattered bones, or loss of hearing.
When workers suffer serious injuries on the job, they can seek compensation through the employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. However, often, Oklahoma workers’ compensation benefits may be inadequate when it comes to compensating those who are catastrophically injured and may never be able to work again. If the injuries were caused by a third party other than the employer, the worker can also file a third-party claim. Examples of third parties include: general contractors, sub-contractors, equipment maintenance firms, property owners, or manufacturers of defective products.
Read more about Oklahoma Construction Accidents that Result in Permanent Disabilities
OSHA Tips for Preventing Heat Illness When Working Outdoors
As record heat continues across much of Oklahoma, it is important for those who work outdoors, such as construction workers, to take steps to avoid heat-related illnesses. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a nationwide outreach for designed to educate laborers and employers about heat illnesses.
OSHA warns that those who work in hot, humid conditions are at risk of suffering heat illness. The risk is greater for those doing strenuous jobs or using bulky protective clothing, like many construction workers must do. Heat illnesses occur because the temperature of the body has risen too much and the body’s own systems are no longer able to bring the temperature back down. Heat-related problems range from heat rash and heat cramps to heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which is deadly. Anyone suspected of suffering from heat stroke should be given medical attention immediately. To help prevent heat illnesses, workers should remember three key factors: water, rest, and shade. Outdoor workers should drink water every 15 minutes, even if they are not thirsty and take breaks in a well-ventilated, shady area. Workers and employers should know the signs of heat illnesses and have an emergency plan in place.
Read more about OSHA Tips for Preventing Heat Illness When Working Outdoors
OSHA Phases in New Residential Construction Fall Protection Rules
As falls are the leading cause of death for workers in the field of residential construction, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has increased the standard of protection with a new directive. Starting June 16, OSHA will begin phasing in new regulations that will require construction companies to provide residential construction workers with fall protection. Now, any workers doing jobs six feet high or more above the next lowest level must have fall protection, such as warning lines, guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems (safety harnesses that secure the wearer to an anchor point). Construction companies will have three months to adjust to the new regulations before citations will be issued. If after the phase in period the construction company is not in compliance with the new rules, they will be cited. The OSHA website has a variety of resources to help companies and employees understand the new guidelines. Visit https://www.osha.gov/ and click on Compliance Guidance for Residential Construction.
Read more about OSHA Phases in New Residential Construction Fall Protection Rules
Crane Collapses While Working on Dam in Ponca City
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is investigating an accident involving a crane that collapsed while performing maintenance on a dam in Ponca City, Oklahoma, a news story from KOAM 7 reports. The construction accident occurred on Thursday, January 6 around 10:30 p.m. Thankfully, the crane operator was able to escape before the machine collapsed into the water and was not injured. At the time of the article’s publication, no conclusions had been reached about the cause of the accident.
While no injuries were sustained in this Oklahoma construction accident, it is all too common for serious injuries and even death to occur when workers operate heavy machinery such as cranes, bull dozers, and other construction equipment. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2009, there were 818 construction-related fatalities in the country.
Read more about Crane Collapses While Working on Dam in Ponca City