Nowadays, there are many construction site accidents taking place, and the severity vary from one incident to another. However, four of them stand out from others because they are quite common, and are unfortunately, very serious.

Accident: Trenching and Excavation

Trenching and excavation are undeniably the most dangerous part of a construction worker’s job. Fatality rate is 112% higher than that of general construction, and in the state of Washington, on average, two people die annually because of collapsed trenches and excavation walls. Other trenching and excavation-related deaths are brought about by:

1. Asphyxiation and drowning, which could happen when excavated materials are piled inappropriately. As you know, a yard of soil weighs about two thousand pounds, and this is definitely too much for anyone to handle.

2. The use of damaged and unsafe ladders, ramps, and stairways in excavation sites and trenches, or a lack of it.

Accident: Falls

This is considered one of the most frequent causes of injuries and deaths among construction workers, taking into account 35% of the total number of construction-related deaths in the US alone. They occur because of the following:

1. Improper or unreliable scaffold construction
2. Negligent use of portable ladders
3. Unguarded use of jutted steel rebars
4. Lack of safety nets
5. Unreliable flooring and sidings

Accident: Electrical Mishaps

Another common accident, electrical mishaps are due to the following:

1. Faulty wirings
2. Improper use of electrical equipment
3. Misuse of tools with exposed wires or damaged insulation

Since the power lines that are being used in construction have really high voltage, these pose high risks to anyone and are considered hazardous to site workers. Many people get electrocuted if they are not careful.

Accident: Struck-By

Accidents brought about by struck-by incidents are also common and often lead to death since this usually involves heavy equipment and machineries. These include:

1. Forklift accidents
2. Flying and falling accidents involving small paraphernalia such as nails and hammers, to large ones like cranes and scaffolds.

These are the most common injury and death-related accidents that every construction worker must face everyday he reports to work. Construction companies, along with the government, do strive to provide a safe working environment for their people. They do this by conducting site inspection and equipment check every now and then. However, these accidents still happen because the reality of it is that construction work in itself really is dangerous.