Construction Accidents
dangerous places, your employer
has a duty of care
Construction sites pose a large variety of risks, making the possibility of an accident quite high. Working with dangerous equipment, working around hazardous and unstable materials or simply putting your body through demanding work and strain could all lead to a construction accident.
Other dangers include working at height where materials can fall, failing to erect safety barriers as construction work progresses, hazards at ground level during ground works and heavy machinery and lifting procedures. All of these situations carry a degree of risk that needs to be addressed with special training and extra care to avoid a construction site accident.
Because of the different risks, your employer and site manager have responsibilities (or a ‘duty of care’) to provide correct, suitable and up to date safety equipment and advice. By neglecting this duty of care, they are running the risk of a construction accident claim, and also putting you in danger.
Safety regulations are the responsibility of the Government's Health and Safety Commission, and are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). They try to ensure that risks in the continually changing workplace, including construction sites, are properly managed to reduce the risk of accidents.
As well as these Governmental bodies, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work was set up in 1996 to make Europe’s work places safer, healthier and more productive.
Regulations put in place to help protect construction site workers include The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. A claim for construction compensation can also be influenced by Workers’ Compensation – a form of insurance that provides medical care for injured employees. National Accident Helpline™ will take everything into consideration when looking into your construction accident claim for compensation.
It’s true that most accidents happen when moving around the workplace or walking across a construction site – surprising, considering the areas of risk on a site. To ensure that this isn’t due to an employee’s lack of concentration, it’s important to take regular breaks as prescribed by law. Many people may not realise that this is the case, yet it could be the difference between a construction site accident happening, or being avoided.
Faulty equipment can also be to blame for accidents and injuries on construction sites. The equipment manufacturers need to thoroughly test that equipment is safe before use, as a small defect could cause large problems. It is the responsibility of the employer to replace whatever equipment may have a fault.
Unfortunately, construction sites can also cause problems that you may not realise until later in life. Exposure to asbestos can cause cancer, and is potentially deadly - another reason to ensure correct equipment is used, the correct protective clothing is worn and the correct procedures are always adhered to.
If you are injured in a construction work accident then do your best to collect the evidence about exactly what happened. Get names and addresses of witnesses, if possible. Following medical treatment, get independent specialist advice about making a construction accident claim.
Because construction workers usually depend on their fitness to be able to work, any construction site injuries can result in significant loss of wages. You need compensation for this, and for your injuries.
Claim online with National Accident Helpline™, or call our free phone number now.
