subject: Prepare to Stay Safe This Construction Season [print this page] Prepare to Stay Safe This Construction Season
Many New York and New Jersey construction workers await the spring construction season with mixed feelings of excitement about work and income yet concerned about accidents and injuries. As construction employers take advantage of the winter season to schedule jobs for the upcoming season, they should also take specific steps to help protect construction workers from serious job related injuries.
What Can Be Done Before Work Begins Again?
While you are not responsible for your employer's actions, there are some specific steps that your employer can take to decrease the likelihood of construction accidents. It is a good idea to ask your company these few questions.
1. Have any Safety Standards Changed Since Last Year? Both federal and state governments pass safety regulations each year that are explicitly designed to guard against serious construction worker injuries. Fresh guidelines are commonly added and could necessitate construction companies to operate in a different way than workers are accustomed to. For example, this year the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) issued a new directive designed to protect residential construction workers from fall accidents and injuries. Construction employers need to comply with the new directive, which is substantially different than past guidance for residential construction.
2. Are You Going to Provide Safety Training for Employees Before the Busy Season Starts? Employers have a responsibility to train employees on the proper use of safety equipment and on safety rules before they begin work or when equipment or safety standards change. Your employer may need to provide updated safety training before the spring.
3. How Will Equipment Be Checked to Ensure That it Is Still Working Properly? Construction equipment can cause serious injuries. If an injury occurs because of faulty equipment, then there is a good chance that either the equipment manufacturer or distributor can be held liable. However, if the injuries occur because the employer failed to maintain or inspect the equipment or because the employer failed to train workers on how to use the equipment, then the employer may be liable for injuries.
What Can Be Done if I Get Injured on a Construction Site?
An employer's failure to take appropriate steps to ensure your safety may result in your employer's liability for any resulting injuries. Compensation may include damages for past, present and future medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost income, and pain and suffering. If you have been hurt, or if you have lost a loved one, in a New York or New Jersey construction accident, please contact a New Jersey and New York construction accident lawyer today.
