Scaffolds common cause of a construction accident

On behalf of Jeffrey Frederick of Frederick & Hagle posted in Construction Workers’ Accidents on Monday, January 5, 2015.

Scaffolding can be a quick and efficient way to get construction workers up to higher floors or areas that need attention or work. The safety of scaffolds and the workers who use them should be a high priority on virtually any Illinois worksite. Tragically, this is not always the case, and faulty scaffolds continue to lead to workers who are injured in a construction accident.

There are several regulations governing the safety of scaffolds at construction sites. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, manufacturers must adhere to strict design specifications, such as supporting much more than whatever the intended load may be. Employers are also expected to play a role in ensuring the safety of their construction workers by having the scaffolds inspected, erected and dismantled by qualified personnel only.

Over half of construction workers spend a significant amount of time on scaffolds. Perhaps not surprisingly, worker injuries from scaffold accidents are one of the most commonly reported. These types of accidents normally involve a worker who has fallen from a scaffold that, for one reason or another, was not up to safety standards.

Even a seemingly minor construction accident can cause such serious injury that a worker may no longer be able to return to work. Without a steady income, mountains of medical bills piled on top of the cost of daily needs can become unbearable. Illinois workers who have been injured at a construction site because of faulty scaffolding or other issues aren’t simply left out in the cold following an accident. Workers’ compensation benefits are typically available to workers to support them as they focus on a full recovery.

Source: FindLaw, “Scaffold Injuries“, Jan. 2, 2015