Demolition Accidents Common, Preventable
When we think of construction accidents, we think of those that happen as workers are building something. But demolition (the tearing down of structures) presents similarly dangerous work conditions and numerous accidents every single year. Just like construction accidents, demolition accidents have the potential to be tragic, and they are usually preventable.
Just last week, a construction worker in Massachusetts was shocked while doing demo in a vacant building. A live wire was cut and sent him to the hospital with burns. Fortunately, his injuries were not life-threatening.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says:
Demolition work involves many of the hazards associated with construction. However, demolition incurs additional hazards due to unknown factors such as: deviations from the structure’s design introduced during construction, approved or unapproved modifications that altered the original design, materials hidden within structural members, and unknown strengths or weaknesses of construction materials. To counter these unknowns, all personnel involved in a demolition project must be fully aware of these types of hazards and the safety precautions to take to control the hazards.
OSHA has regulations for all types of construction work and potential hazards. As with all types of this work, they have specific rules for demolition work. These regulations govern both how work must be done in order to minimize accidents and,how employers must do their part to keep workers safe.
Safety topics when dealing with demolition work include: electrical protection, head and respiratory protection, asbestos awareness, fall protection, welding and cutting, scaffolding safety, removal of walls and floors, removal of materials from a structure, demolition by machines and demolition by explosives.
Tearing down a structure or a wall could be as dangerous as constructing it – and sometimes even more so. While the average person may envision demolition work as simply taking a sledgehammer to a wall, the real work is far more technical.
New York and New Jersey Construction Accident Lawyers
The construction accident lawyers with Ginarte represent New York and New Jersey construction workers who are hurt on the job. These injuries include those that occur in demolition and those that happen in new construction situations. Whether you fell from a roof or were injured when taking down a wall, we may be able to help.
Several people play a role in keeping you safe on the job. When you are hurt, these people or businesses can be held responsible. Contact us today to talk about your accident and the legal options available to you. We can be reached for a free consultation at 888-GINARTE.
