OSHA’s “Fatal Four” Accidents in Construction
Part of OSHA’s duties include compiling research every year to determine from statistics what measures can be added to their codes to make workplaces across the country safer. Each year, OSHA finds that four types of accidents in construction are leading causes of fatalities in the industry. Although these make up the majority of tragic deaths, they can all be avoided by taking proper safety steps.
The “Fatal Four” is comprised of:
- Falls: 39.9% of total construction fatalities
- Electrocutions: 8.2% of total construction fatalities
- Struck by Object: 8.1% of total construction fatalities
- Caught-in/Caught-between: 4.3% of total construction fatalities
These four accident types makeup over 60% of all construction deaths and falls alone making up nearly 40% of them. Deaths from great falls usually occur as a result of faulty, ill-installed equipment, or improper supervision. When working at great heights, construction employers have to take into consideration the chance that workers’ scaffolding may fail, and need to provide harnessing and other fall preventing measures.
Construction Site Responsibilities
Tragedies occur every day, and sometimes, no single party can be to blame. However, that is not often the case. Most of these tragedies can be avoided with the required amount of caution. Supervisors may at times look the other way from a structure that does not meet OSHA standards, or even a coworker may force someone to take an unnecessary risk that leads to disaster.
Other acts of negligence may include:
- Poor site design or insufficient inspection
- Improperly secured equipment
- Failure to mark hazards, such as holes or trenches
- The use of malfunctioning equipment
- Violating safety codes
One of the more immediate responsibilities in the above list is improperly marked hazards. If a hole or trench is not identified, causing a worker to fall through, deaths or injuries that occur as a result of the fall are the fault of site managers and supervisors.
Other dangerous worksite incidents include:
Our Baton Rouge Crane Accident Law Firm Helps Clients Across the U.S.
In the manufacturing and construction industries, few pieces of equipment have caused tragic accidents like a crane. About 2 in 3 crane accident fatalities took place in construction or manufacturing, and 3 in 5 fatalities occurred as a result of being struck by an object or equipment. Most of the objects that struck and killed workers fell on them from a height.
The common causes of crane accidents include:
- Improper usage of the crane
- Improper crane for the job
- Poor weather
- Improper set-up
- Falling debris
- Hazardous conditions
The Louisiana crane accident attorneys at Arnold & Itkin have spent our careers fighting for workers injured by poor workplace safety. Either on offshore oil rigs or in construction sites, workers deserve job sites that are as safe as possible—not job sites run by people who disregard their safety for the sake of “productivity.” We’ve represented numerous crane accident victims. If you or a loved one was harmed by a crane accident caused by mismanagement, speak with our attorneys today. We want to help you get back on your feet in every way possible.
$44 Million Won for Crane Accident Victim
In one of our most notable cases, our crane accident lawyers won the single largest verdict ever won by an amputee victim nationwide. Our client was working as a superintendent on a construction site. Two companies (the crane owners and the crane operators) were hired to drill holes for pilings. The drill augur kept getting stuck, so the crane operator asked for them to stop operations to figure out the issue.
Instead, his supervisor ordered him to keep drilling, which eventually caused the crane to collapse. Despite standing 100 feet away behind a safety fence, our client was pinned by falling equipment. Even after another crane was brought in to pull the equipment off of him, his leg was too badly damaged to save. His doctors were forced to do an above-the-knee amputation. In a three-week trial, Arnold & Itkin argued that our client deserved the resources to get his life back---resources to cover his lost wages, his diminished earning capacity, his anguish and grief, and his medical care. The jury agreed and awarded our client $44 million.
Common Injuries Suffered in Louisiana Crane Accidents
The study of traumatic amputation has led researchers to consider it one of the most damaging injuries one can suffer.
A crane accident may cause such injuries as:
The New Orleans Construction Collapse at the Hard Rock Hotel
On October 12, 2019, a collapse occurred at the construction site of the Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans. The hotel was set to open the following year after years of zoning controversy surrounding its construction. At the time of the accident, officials confirmed that 1 person was killed, 3 were missing, and an additional 18 people were transported to local hospitals to receive treatment for injuries. By the end of the weekend, authorities recovered an additional body and were still in search of the last missing individual.
Immediately following the collapse, officials evacuated all nearby buildings and told residents to stay away from the area. They were concerned that two cranes, which were still standing, had the potential to collapse. Additionally, responders were worried that the buckling building, which had its sixth to eight floors crushed, would suffer another catastrophic failure. Video captured from the street showed sheets of concrete and columns of steel falling as those beneath ran for their lives. One construction worker, who was in the structure at the time of the accident, told news outlets that he estimated about 45 workers were present at the time of the collapse.
Hiring the Right Louisiana Construction Accident Firm
Workers often feel that accidents are their fault. Yet, companies often fail to provide the proper training, maintenance, and safety standards at their job sites. Our experienced legal team will conduct a thorough investigation into learning precisely what happened the day of the injury, and determining who may truly be held accountable. Arnold & Itkin has won billions in compensation for our clients—let us help build your case.
Call Arnold & Itkin at (888) 493-1629 today!
