Have you ever heard someone say that the construction industry is the most dangerous industry you can work in? It has this reputation because, in part because of the size of the industry, it tends to have the most fatal accidents every year. It is an inherently dangerous profession that a lot of people participate in. It may not be the most dangerous per capita, but you can’t deny the totals.
Even within construction, you can break things down further to find the biggest threats. When you do this, you get the so-called “Fatal Four.” These are the four reasons for the majority of construction fatalities. Ordered from the least deadly to the most, they are as follows:
- Caught-between: This accounts for 5.5% of all deaths
- Electrocutions: This accounts for 8.5% of all deaths
- Struck-by objects: This accounts for 11.1% of all deaths
- Falls: This accounts for 33.5% of all deaths
The rest of the fatalities are spread out among a variety of issues. As you can see, though, the greatest single risk comes from falls. This is because construction often means that workers have no choice but to work at heights. They climb ladders, work on scaffoldings, work near exposed edges and stand on roofs.
Plus, not all falls are the dramatic type from very high locations, like a ten-story roof. A worker who slips on a five-foot ladder while putting in a light could tip back, land on their neck and suffer fatal injuries. Even jobs that seem simple and safe come with real threats. If you have lost a loved one on the job or you were seriously injured at work, you need to know what legal options you have. Fair compensation can help your family move forward.
