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Scaffolding Accidents are a Major Cause of Construction Deaths
Posted on September 22, 2011 by Ronald Todd
Scaffold Accidents and Falls Account for 1/3 of all Construction Fatalities
Falls make up the majority of construction site hazards. Scaffold accidents are the most common reason that a construction worker falls from height. Approximately 2/3 of construction projects use scaffolds. Scaffold hazards result in about 5,000 injuries and 50 deaths per year.
Three fourths of all scaffold accidents result from one of the following causes:
- Faulty or inadequate planking;
- Support failing;
- Precautions not taken to prevent slips and falls from height; and
- Falling objects.
(See statistics from the Bureau of Labor).
All of these construction defects that lead to construction fatalities were preventable if OSHA regulations under 29 CFR 1925.451 had been followed by the contractors at the jobsite. OSHA regulations require contractors to install toeboards, screens or guardrails to prevent falls from height. (29 CFR 1926.451(h)(1)). If workers are exposed to falls of 6 feet or more they must have fall protection. Scaffolding must be tied off to a permanent structure to prevent it from falling off.
If you or a loved one has a scaffold injury, you need an experienced Indiana attorney knowledgeable about scaffold accidents. Scaffold accident cases can be won or lost based on investigation performed by your attorney. The sooner you hire a qualified attorney, the sooner we can start protecting your rights. We offer evening and weekend hours in addition to our weekly business hours, we are ready to help. Our phone lines are open twenty-four/seven, so call 317-375-7718 or contact us online at www.ronaldtoddlaw.com today for a free conference.
This entry was posted in Construction Accidents, Falls from Height, Ladder & Scaffold Accidents, Construction Accident Indiana, Construction Accident Law Firm, Construction Fatalities, Construction Injury Attorney, Construction Injury Lawyer, Construction Site Accident Lawyer, Construction Site Hazards, Indiana Accident Lawyer, Indiana Injury Lawyer, Ronald S. Todd, P.C., Scaffold Accidents, Scaffold Injury
