San Antonio Construction Site Dangers

San Antonio, TX Lawyer Michael Grossman Discusses Construction Site Hazards

There are many hazards associated with construction work, and construction companies are required to make sure that their work sites are safe and that the dangers of these hazards are minimized. Unfortunately, many construction companies shirk these responsibilities, resulting in many construction accidents every year. Some of the most common construction site hazards include:

• Exposed pieces of rebar: exposed ends of rebar can impale workers who trip or fall onto them.
• Ladders: ladders that are not properly secured to the ground and the structure on which they are leaning can fall and seriously injure workers on and around the ladders. Additionally, careless workers on the ground can knock a ladder over, causing similar injuries. Some ladders may even be defective and unable to support their specified weight limits.
• Power tool usage: proper training is necessary for the safe operation of power tools. When construction companies do not properly train their workers on their use or when the company allows an untrained worker to use a power tool, every worker on the site is at risk. Poorly maintained or defective power tools can also cause serious injuries, including electrocution or dismemberment. Even properly used, prolonged exposure to power tools can damage a worker’s hearing.
• Scaffolding collapses: scaffolding is a common source of construction accident injuries, typically involved scaffolding collapsing while a worker is on it, potentially injuring that worker and any workers nearby. Scaffolding is usually constructed and set up by a third party, so that organization may be liable for a scaffolding collapse.
• Fall from height: construction companies must provide proper safety harnesses and other equipment if workers are operating at a dangerous height, and companies must ensure that the safety equipment is functioning properly.
• Motor vehicle accidents: car, truck, and other vehicle crashes can cause serious injuries on a construction site or anywhere else. These accidents can include motor vehicles driven by workers or by motorists passing by the construction site.
• Electrocution risk: power tools, poor wiring, and virtually any other source of electricity can pose an electrocution risk if the electrical system is not set up properly, or if workers are careless around sources of electricity.
• Falling objects: objects falling from cranes, upper floors of a building, scaffolding, or any other height can seriously injure a worker, especially if the worker is not wearing a hard hat or other safety equipment.
• Environmental health hazards: these hazards can include anything from asbestos exposure to unsafe chemicals. Even properly handled, these hazards can pose long-term health risks later in life, and construction companies are responsible for minimizing these risks.

Ultimately, construction sites pose a number of risks to workers, and it is difficult to account for all of these dangers. But that does not excuse construction companies from making sure that their workers are safe, despite common practice. When construction companies are negligent and cause injury to a worker, that worker may be eligible to file a construction accident lawsuit.

However, this task can be overwhelming for those without extensive legal experience. Thankfully, construction accident attorney Michael Grossman from Grossman Law Offices has twenty years of experience helping construction workers seek the compensation they deserve. Victims injured in construction accidents will face a number of hurdles. Their employer may have workers’ compensation insurance, or they may pretend to have it, in order to avoid liability. Our attorneys can discover the truth and help you hold your employer responsible. The construction company may also argue that you are a contractor and therefore are not liable to file a work injury suit. But our attorneys can bring up case law that illustrates the establishment of an employer-employee relationship, even in cases where a contract said otherwise. In other words, our firm has the experience needed to overcome the common pitfalls in construction accident cases. We have faced every major insurance carrier and construction company in the country, and these organizations often cooperate fully with our demands for a settlement simply because they are scared to face our lawyers in court. We are dedicated to getting you the compensation you need so that you can get back on your feet. So if you have been injured in a construction accident, contact San Antonio construction accident lawyer Michael Grossman today, and make sure that those responsible for your injuries are brought to justice.