A construction site is one of the most dangerous places to work. While construction workers are well aware of the various hazards they encounter every single day, they are never prepared for a potential accident, injury, or worse.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that almost three million on-the-job injuries occur annually. When it comes to the industry with the most fatalities, construction has a significant lead. However, some construction jobs are more hazardous than others.
The following are the most dangerous jobs in the construction industry:
- Roofers – Considered the most dangerous job in the field of construction, roofing has the highest fatality rate—47.4 deaths for every 100,000 workers. However, the amount of fatalities has increased over recent years. OSHA says the most common violation is a failure to set up fall protection.
- Steelworkers – Those who work in the steel and iron sector of construction also have one of the highest rates of fatal injury. These workers often perform their jobs on scaffolding, which presents a wide variety of hazards, from falls to scaffolding malfunctions. In fact, the most common cause of death in the construction industry is falls (39%) and steel workers make up a majority of those fatalities.
- Operators of heavy machinery – Working with heavy machinery is the third-most hazardous construction job. These workers work at the ground level around massive machinery. Since being struck by an object is considered the second-most common cause of construction fatalities, heavy machinery operators are at more risk compared to others in the industry.
- General laborers – Whether they perform their job duties in the trenches or on top of the scaffolding, general laborers are susceptible to various hazards on a construction site. These workers experience a fatal injury rate of nearly 17.
- Electricians – Coming in fifth, electricians often encounter situations where they can be potentially electrocuted from faulty wiring and more.
If you have suffered an injury while working on a construction site in Fort Worth, contact our experienced legal team at the Law Office of James M. Stanley and request a free consultation to learn more about workers’ compensation benefits.