The National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction will be observed May 2–6, 2016. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and federal partners are encouraging employers to talk to employees about fall hazards to reinforce the importance of adhering to fall prevention measures. Employers are encouraged to have a Spanish speaker deliver the stand-down message to Spanish-speaking employees.
337 Construction Workers Died after a Fall
OSHA has gathered and analyzed 2014 fatal-accident data (2015 data is not yet available). In 2014, 337 construction workers died from falls (39.9% of all worker deaths in 2014). Those deaths were preventable, according to OSHA. In many cases, the companies involved were cited for safety violations.
A fatal fall at a construction site can happen from a ladder, roof (off or through), scaffold, structural steel beam, piece of equipment, or through a hole in flooring.
Employers are asked to consider reviewing company fall prevention programs before the Stand-Down:
- What needs improvement?
- Is your program meeting its goals?
- Are you experiencing fatalities, injuries, or near misses?
- Are employees aware of the company’s fall protection procedures?
- What training have you provided to your workers?
- Does it need revision?
- What equipment have you provided to your workers?
- Is better equipment available?
Fatal Construction Falls in 2016
OSHA publishes reports of work fatalities. Below are some of the fatal fall reports from 2016 (information only available through February):
- February 25 – a fall from the bucket of a boom truck crane;
- February 24 – a fall down an elevator shaft by an employee of an elevator and moving stair manufacturer;
- February 22 – a fall from scaffold plank by an employee of a drywall and insulation contractor;
- February 19 – a fall off of a roof by an employee of a roofing contractor;
- February 18 – another fall off of a roof by an employee of a roofing contractor;
- February 17 – a fall from a forklift at a new single-family housing construction site;
- February 17 – a fall from a telecommunications tower by an employee of a company involved in power and communication line and related structures construction;
- February 16 – a fall from vehicle when tire blew out;
- January 31 – a fall from roof while doing carpentry work for a framing contractor;
- January 27 – a fall from roof at a commercial construction site;
- January 20 – a fall from a roof by an employee of a roofing contractor;
- January 19 – a fall from a scaffold at an industrial building construction site;
- January 15 – a fall through a stairwell opening at a commercial building construction site;
- January 15 – a fall from a scissor lift by a man who worked for a plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractor;
- January 15 – a fall through a roof by a man working for an awning company;
- January 12 – a fall from ladder by a man working for a painting and wall covering contractor;
- January 7 – a fall from a scaffold by a man working for a siding and roofing company.
Can I Sue for Wrongful Death?
You and your family can sue for wrongful death if you have a “third-party claim”, a claim against someone other than your employer or a co-worker. For example, if your loved one fell off a ladder and died because the ladder was defective (poorly made), you could have a claim against the manufacturer of the ladder. Or if an employee of Company A failed to cover up a hole in the floor and your loved one, who worked for Company B, fell through and died, you could have a claim against Company A.
Attorneys Fred Pritzker and Eric Hageman, two of our lead lawyers for construction site cases, have won millions for families with wrongful death claims and for injured workers, including $10 million for one man who was injured at a newly constructed house. You can contact Fred and Eric if you want a free consultation (click here). A lawyer with work injury litigation experience can help you know if you have a case and what it might be worth.