When you show up to work each day on a New Jersey construction site, you probably do so with an understanding that you will face certain job-related hazards that expose you to potential injury or even death. At Rubenstein, Berliner & Shinrod, LLC, we understand that many construction worker injuries and deaths result from similar circumstances, and we have helped many construction workers and their loved ones pursue recourse following work-related injuries and fatalities.
Per the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, almost 60% of construction worker deaths that occurred in 2017 stemmed from situations involving what are known as construction’s Fatal Four. Estimates suggest that learning how to eliminate these four dangers could save nearly 600 construction worker lives every year, so employers have a duty to work to minimize risks associated with the Fatal Four to the fullest extent possible.
So, what, exactly, are construction’s Fatal Four? As you can probably imagine, falls are the leading cause of construction worker deaths, causing more than 39% of them in 2017. Following behind falls, causing more than 8% of industry deaths that same year, were objects striking workers, while electrocutions came next, resulting in just over 7% of 2017’s construction worker fatalities.
The fourth-most-common cause of death among construction workers involves workers finding themselves stuck in between or crushed by something, such as a collapsing scaffold. In 2017, 4,674 construction workers lost their lives on the job, with one out of every five American worker deaths occurring in the construction industry. You can find more about construction accidents on our webpage.
If you or someone you know has sustained an injury, whether on the job, on the road, due to a medical professional’s negligence, or otherwise, our firm is here. Rubenstein, Berliner & Shinrod, LLC has helped countless victims of negligence over the years, and we are ready to do the same for you. Contact our firm today so we can get started.