Construction is one of the most important jobs available today. Houses, office buildings, stores, and even roads depend on construction workers. However, construction work is as dangerous as it is essential, with over 165,000 construction injuries in 2020 alone according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
5 Common Causes of Construction Injuries
Whether it be heights, heavy equipment, or collapsing tunnels, there are no shortage of dangers on a construction site. Even the most well-trained worker will suffer an injury at some point in their career; according to OSHA, over 4,000 of those injuries will be fatal. It's important to be aware of potential risks in order to minimize the chance of severe injury or death. Here are five common causes of construction site injuries:
1. Falls
Falls, whether from a ladder, scaffolding, or crane, are one of the most common construction injuries. They can range in severity depending on the height of the fall, the surface landed on, and the condition of the falling worker. Some may result in nothing more than a bruise, while others can be fatal or cause permanent disabilities.
2. Collapses
Collapses can occur in the form of broken scaffolding, an improperly demolished building, or unstable dirt around an excavation site. In these instances, victims can become pinned or completely buried beneath dirt or rubble.
3. Vehicles or Machinery
Construction work often involves the use of heavy machinery such as cranes, steamrollers, and excavators. When these machines malfunction or crash, they can lead to severe injuries.
4. Electric Shocks
When construction workers work on or near power lines, they run the risk of electrocution. In severe cases, this can be fatal.
5. Disregarding Safety Procedures
While even the most cautious construction sites will still have accidents, disregarding safety procedures will cause them to occur much more frequently. This includes not using the right equipment for a given job, understaffing, employing undertrained workers, or not taking the proper precautions during demolition.
How to Prevent Construction Accidents
As stated, it's impossible to completely eliminate construction accidents. However, by taking the proper precautions, you can limit them. Here's how:
Follow Safety Procedures
Proper safety protocol is crucial to construction injury prevention. Make sure you're using the right equipment for each job and that your workers have the proper qualifications. Don't cut corners, either—even if it seems like it can save you time or money, it's never worth someone's safety.
Hold Safety Meetings
No matter how many precautions you put in place, they'll only help if your workers follow them. Hold regular safety meetings to ensure that your employees are aware of protocol. Keep them informed of any updated rules or regulations, and encourage them to practice workplace safety.
Safeguard Against Falls
Because falls are such a common source of injury on construction sites, there are many tools to minimize the risk. These include guardrails, nets, and safety harnesses. The tools you use will depend on the construction site—after all, workers laying new asphalt for a road probably won't need a safety harness.
Perform Regular Equipment Maintenance
When heavy machinery and construction equipment aren't looked after, they can break down mid-use. Routine maintenance will keep breakdowns to a minimum and greatly reduce the risks of dangerous malfunctions.
Utilize On-site Clinics
An on-site medical clinic is a great way to treat a construction injury when it occurs. These are fully-stocked medical clinics set up at your location in order to provide immediate medical attention in case of emergency.
What to do after a Construction Accident
While accident prevention is important, it's equally important to know how to react in case of an emergency. If your construction site suffers an accident, here's how to proceed:
1. Assess the Situation
The first step in any emergency is to calmly assess the situation. What kind of accident has occurred? How many workers are involved, if any? Is it safe to approach, or are there hazards such as fire, live wires, or unstable rubble?
2. Get Clear of the Accident
Even if you can't see any immediate threats, move away from the accident scene in case the situation changes rapidly. Make sure that other workers get clear as well—if someone is injured and can't move, help them right away if it's safe to do so. If it isn't safe, call emergency services.
3. Contact On-site Medical Services or Emergency Services if Necessary
Having medical services on-site means you have dedicated first responders. They will assess the situation for injuries and perform immediate triage and treatment where necessary. On-site medical services will also help you determine if you should call emergency services if someone has sustained a serious or life-threatening injury. On-site clinicians can perform basic life support or advanced life support until emergency services arrive, which can be crucial depending on emergency response time.
4. Do a Headcount
Once you've cleared the area, do a quick tally of your workers. Certain accidents, such as trench collapses, may have trapped people under dirt or rubble. Doing a headcount will let you know who's missing. If anyone is missing, confirm that they aren't on break, in the bathroom, or off-site.
5. Check for Injuries
Once you've accounted for your workers, have on-site medical continue to check them for injuries as necessary. In some cases, such as a worker falling from a ladder, the injuries will be obvious and limited. In larger accidents, such as a collapse or a vehicle crash, there may be multiple victims or severe injuries. Internal injuries might not be immediately obvious, and even visible injuries can be worse than they appear.
6. Administer First Aid
If a worker is only mildly injured and doesn't need emergency medical attention, it's possible to treat them in an on-site clinic, and avoid a recordable injury. Simple first aid can be administered to treat small cuts, bruises, and burns. On-site clinicians will help these types of incidents remain on-site through aggressive first aid treatment and guidance for appropriate managed care.
Keep Your Construction Workers Safe with MMC
If you're looking for an on-site clinic in case of a construction accident, contact Mobile Medical Corporation. Our experienced and dedicated team can deliver everything you need for an on-site clinic directly to your work site, including medical staff, drug screening, basic life support capabilities, and more. Contact MMC today and take the first step in keeping your workers safe.
