| Construction site accidents and injuries are often a | | | | equipment manufacturers, etc. These rights depend |
| common part of the workplace because of the | | | | upon the application of various complex laws and the |
| dangerous equipment, chaos and deadline-driven | | | | individual circumstances of the accident. |
| environment that surrounds this industry. The | | | | For example, in most construction projects, many |
| following statistics were released from the U.S. | | | | different contractors are involved. Full damages can |
| Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics on | | | | be recovered if any contractor other than the direct |
| workplace safety and injury statistics: | | | | employer is responsible for the injuries from an |
| * One of every five workplace fatalities is a | | | | accident. Likewise, if a defective tool, machine, or |
| construction worker. | | | | other product causes injury, an injured worker can be |
| In 2001, there was just over 1,200 fatal injuries in the | | | | fully compensated. |
| construction industry, although this number excludes | | | | OSHA is a Federal organization that offers workers |
| deaths on September 11. Also in 2001, there were | | | | information on occupational safety and health, and |
| 481,400 nonfatal injuries and illnesses in construction. | | | | construction workers should know how to contact |
| Incidence rates for nonfatal injuries and illnesses were | | | | OSHA if an unsafe work environment exists. If a |
| 7.9 per 100 full-time workers in construction, and 5.7 | | | | workplace hazard exists and action is not taken |
| per 100 full-time equivalent workers in all private | | | | quickly, an employee should contact an OSHA area |
| industry in 2001. | | | | office or state office via a written complaint. If the |
| * Because only about 10% of construction companies | | | | OSHA or state office determines that there are |
| employ more than 20 workers, the great majority | | | | reasonable grounds for believing that a violation or |
| have no formal job safety regulations or programs in | | | | danger exists, the office will conduct an inspection. |
| place. | | | | A workers' representative has a right to accompany |
| The "lost-workday" rate for construction workers in | | | | an OSHA compliance officer during the inspection. A |
| 1992 was five.7 out of every 100 workers (full time). | | | | union representative, if one is available, chooses the |
| This lost-workday rate was the highest of any major | | | | representative otherwise employees will choose the |
| economic sector. | | | | representative. Under no circumstances may the |
| * Nationwide, about 15% of workers' compensation | | | | employer choose the workers' representative. A |
| costs are attributable to injuries in the construction | | | | detailed inspection by an inspector can occur of |
| industry. | | | | either the entire work area or of a limited area of a |
| Nearly all significant injuries in the construction | | | | workplace operation. At the end of the inspection, |
| industry result in workers' compensation rights. Those | | | | the OSHA inspector will meet with the employer and |
| limited rights, however may be supplemented by legal | | | | the employee representatives to discuss the |
| actions against others who have responsibility for | | | | abatement of any hazards that may have been |
| various activities on the jobsite, including construction | | | | found. These need to be corrected or serious |
| managers, general contractors, subcontractors, | | | | penalties and legal liabilities may arise. |