When going to work gets dangerous

On Behalf of | Sep 25, 2017 | Workers' Compensation |

If you’re a construction worker, you may be at risk for injury during the normal course of your duties in an average workday. Even if no one considers a particular project you’re working on as high on the list of the most dangerous tasks in the nation, an accident may occur at any time that causes you to suffer injury in the workplace.

If you’re aware of the dangers ahead of time and you know where to turn for help if an injury occurs, you may be able to stay safe, or at least maximize your chances of achieving full recovery if you’re involved in a workplace accident.

Top causes of construction-related injuries

You might enjoy construction work because you’re not stuck behind a desk all day and you get the satisfaction of seeing a project you’ve put a lot of effort into reach completion. Although your job may be interesting and rewarding, you may also be at risk for the following injuries:

  • Struck-by objects: Many construction site injuries occur when objects fall on top of workers or a malfunctioning piece of equipment causes some random item to become airborne, striking one or more people who happen to be nearby at the time. In fact, this is a top causal factor in many construction accidents.
  • Falls: If you climb ladders, stand on scaffolding, climb in and out of forklifts or other construction vehicles, etc., you’re constantly at risk for injury. You may suffer a sudden, unexpected fall at any time while working and depending on the circumstances, you may endure severe, even catastrophic injuries.
  • Electrocutions: A lot of construction work involves wiring or other electrical equipment or related supplies. There’s a lot that can go wrong whenever electricity is involved. This type of injury is often fatal.
  • Caught-between accidents:  If your arm, leg or other body part gets stuck between two vehicles or pieces of equipment, you might suffer temporary or permanent disability as a result of severe injury.

Hopefully, your employer has provided the necessary information, training and supplies needed to keep you out of harm’s way on the job. If you suffer a workplace injury, it may take a long time to recover and could impede your ability to make ends meet at home if you’re unable to return to your workplace duties for an extensive length of time.

Such situations often lead to workers’ compensation claims or other legal issues that can be difficult to process without assistance. Many Illinois workers overcome such problems by relying on experienced workers’ compensation attorneys for help.

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