Pratfalls are a staple of comedy. Slips, trips and falls might seem hilarious in the movies. There is nothing funny about a mishap that happens on a construction site.
United States Bureau of Labor’s statistics reported that almost 3 million people were hurt on the job in 2018. There were also over 5,000 job-related deaths that year. Many of the injuries happen after a slip, trip or fall.
Some of the most dangerous workplaces are construction sites. There were over 300 construction deaths that year. Negligence causes a large percentage of these accidents. There are two types of these accidents – from the same level and from a higher level to a lower level.
Same level accidents
Workers often get injured from a slip, trip or fall without falling to a lower level. Common causes of these injuries include:
- Boxes, cords and equipment left in walking paths.
- Floor drains left uncovered.
- Grease, water or another slippery substance on a floor, platform or stairway.
- Uneven floors that cause trips.
Higher to lower levels falls
Some of the worst injuries result in falls from a higher to a lower level. Common causes of these falls include:
- Elevate surfaces
- Ladders without slip-free rungs
- Missing handrails
- Scaffolds not anchored
- Uneven stairs
Your employer has a responsibility
Your company must provide a safe workplace for you. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has worksite safety guidelines. That includes fall prevention education, training manuals and video safety programs. New employees should also be informed about worksite hazards.
Wherever you work, you should expect your worksite to be free of slip, trip and falls hazards. You have the right to be safe at work.
