Millions of construction workers perform their daily tasks on scaffolding every year. This is about 65% of all construction workers in the country. Unfortunately, scaffoldings present real risks to construction workers and account for about 90 deaths and thousands of worker injuries.
The type of injuries and fatalities that occur due to scaffolding-related construction accidents vary; however, people who are involved in these often experience broken bones, head trauma, spinal cord injuries, brain damage, and many other injuries. If you or someone in your family has suffered an accident and injury due to scaffolding, our legal team at Hines Law is available to help. We can review your case and help you recover the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve.
Common Causes of Scaffolding Accidents in Georgia
While there are many different causes of scaffolding accidents in Georgia, some are more common than others. Some of the most common causes of these types of accidents are described here.
Falling From the Scaffolding
The most common type of accident that occurs on construction sites where scaffolding is being used is a fall from accidents. A fall from scaffolding accident can be catastrophic. If it’s not fatal, it can cause serious and life-long injuries.
Scaffolding with Broken Planks
In some situations, a fall from scaffolding occurs because of improper or poor support on the scaffold. In these situations, the planks may directly contribute to the fall, or cause other injuries, like sprains, contusions, or lacerations.
Improperly Secured Scaffolding
In some situations, the planks aren’t the only issue with scaffolding. Improperly assembled or insecure scaffolding may result in a serious or catastrophic accident, too. In the worst situations, a portion of the scaffolding may wind up collapsing. This can cause life-threatening injuries to several people, and it may also damage property nearby.
Head Injuries Caused by Falling Objects
The scaffolding is not the only type of danger that exists. Head injuries and other types of accidents may occur when an object falls from the scaffolding. Even if those below are wearing a hard hat, the injuries can be severe.
Issues Related to Weather Conditions
High winds, snow, and rain can all make working for scaffolding hazardous. In these situations, it’s important for construction workers to even be more cautious. Work may have to be postponed in some situations and objects on top of the scaffolding may have to be removed or secured in some way to prevent an injury.
Injuries to People Nearby
Construction workers are not the only ones who are impacted by scaffolding accidents. Pedestrians and others nearby may be injured, too. Because of this, it’s imperative that the proper safety measures are taken to ensure that accidents don’t occur when scaffolding is being used.
Reasons Workers’ Compensation Claims May be Denied After Scaffolding Accidents
After a scaffolding injury, workers may have their workers’ compensation benefits denied. This can put an additional hardship on the injured worker, who may not be able to handle the costs related to living and paying their bills while recovering from work injuries.
In these situations, our legal team at Hines Law is ready to help you with your claim and ensure you get the benefits you deserve.
Potential Safety Issues at Your Work Site
There are some scaffolding injuries that are complete accidents. However, there are other situations when the construction company could be to blame. In these situations, the scaffolding may not have been installed properly and it may not adhere to the safety standards that have been outlined by OSHA.
If this is the situation, our construction accident lawyer can determine who is legally liable for the accident that occurred. It may also be possible to bring a lawsuit against the construction company that put workers and others at risk and for causing harm because of unsafe or hazardous working conditions.
Contact Hines Law for Help and Information
If you have questions about your legal rights or need help getting the benefits you deserve after a scaffolding accident on a construction site, our team at Hines Law can help. We will be happy to discuss your situation and claim and help you get the benefits you deserve with a free legal consultation.
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