Accidents can be the most devastating and life-altering thing to happen to a person. Injuries from accidents can cause endless physical and emotional suffering leading to a diminished quality of life.
Construction is one of the most integral industries in Canada, and sadly they are also quite prone to accidents. The most common types of construction accidents are also the most serious and can cause life-altering injuries.
Let’s talk about some of the most common ones.
Table of Contents
The Most Common Type of Construction Accident
Accidents can occur due to various causes, but if it occurs due to your employer’s negligence or a third party, you have the right to seek compensation. If you or your loved one was involved in a construction accident, you must seek the advice of a construction accident lawyer immediately.
Even though an accident can be of many types, the most common types of accidents that lead to injuries are as follow:
Falls
Construction workers need to work in many elevated areas such as rooftops or on the side of a building. Falling is the most common accident type, accounting for a third of all construction accidents.
Falling Debris
Building materials, bits of scaffolding, tools, or other objects can do severe damage if they fall from a great height and land on a worker.
Electrocutions
Wires, electrical components, and power lines are usually exposed before the completion of construction. This could be dangerous if someone were to come in contact with them.
Explosions and Burns
Exposed wiring can cause sparks which can lead to explosions or fires. Gas leaks can also lead to explosions.
Slip and Falls
Construction sites often have loose objects and materials lying about, and this can cause a worker to trip and fall. There can also be slippery areas that can cause workers to slip.
Accidents Involving Machinery
Since construction workers regularly work with dangerous machines, including cranes, bulldozers, and nail guns, all of which can cause serious injury.
Getting Trapped Between Objects
Workers can get trapped between objects which can cause broken ribs and suffocation.
Ground Collapse
Excavations and trenches are necessary for construction. This can cause the surrounding ground to become unstable and fall on workers.
Overexertion
Construction workers often work long hours in the heat and humidity. This can cause heat strokes and dehydration to occur.
Out of these accident types, the most severe and unfortunately most common are falling, electrocution, accidents involving machinery, and getting hit by debris. Due to their severity, these accidents are also known as ‘the fatal four.’
What Should You Do if You’re Injured on a Construction Site?
If you work on a construction site and are injured, you can take the following steps to preserve your health and get a favourable settlement.
- Check your injuries: if you suspect a neck or back injury, it is best not to move. You must seek immediate emergency care.
- If your injuries are non-life-threatening, seek medical care by calling an ambulance or finding someone who can take you to the hospital.
- Take photos of your injury and the injury site if you can move.
- Inform your superiors of your condition straightforwardly.
- Call your lawyer as soon as possible, as this can protect you against predatory behaviour from your employer’s insurance company representatives.
What Kind of Compensation Can you Expect?
To receive compensation for your injury, you must first make a claim. Usually, your employer’s insurance agents will try to get an out-of-court settlement to avoid legal fees and minimize costs. Therefore, you need to have legal representation present so that they do not devalue your injury.
There are four types of claims you can make:
- Worker’s Compensation
- Wrongful Death
- Personal Injury
- Product Liability
However, the compensation you expect depends on the injury severity and whether the fault lies on a negligent party. You could seek personal injury and wrongful death compensation if you were injured due to negligence.
Compensation is calculated using two factors. Economic and non-economic.
Economic losses include loss of income (past, current, and future), loss of opportunity, medical expenditure, costs of living with a disability, any rehabilitation required, etc.
Non-economic damages or pain and suffering damages include any intangible effects that the injury may have had, such as pain and loss of consortium. Canada has capped the amount awarded for non-economic compensation at $300,000, which is usually granted for the most severe cases.
Conclusion
Construction accidents are a common phenomenon, and sadly many construction workers end up suffering a range of injuries every year. Severe injuries can leave the workers unable to work for extended periods, leading to a loss of income. It can also adversely affect other aspects of their lives. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to prioritize safety above all else when working on construction sites.
The most common type of construction accident can also be the injury that many construction workers face gradually and over a long time. Musculoskeletal and repetitive strain injuries repeatedly occur due to years of doing the same strenuous activity.
