Construction workers in Connecticut and throughout the country may be more likely to suffer from accidents in which they are hit by a vehicle, piece of equipment or an object than workers in other industries. The Center for Construction Research and Training released a report that said that between 2011 and 2015, 800 construction workers died in these types of accidents. In about half of those accidents, the person was hit by a vehicle, and in the other half, the person was hit by equipment or an object. More than half of the vehicle strikes were in work zones. The highest rate of fatalities was among highway maintenance workers.
Workers older than 65 are more likely to die in these types of accidents than younger workers, and the risk for construction workers of injury from being struck by an object, equipment or vehicle is nearly two times higher than in all other industries. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has made an effort to address these and other common types of accidents, including falls, electrocution hazards and accidents in which workers are caught in or between objects.
However, OSHA press releases about serious safety violations have significantly slowed under the Trump administration. Industry watchers have largely been disseminating news about fines and safety violations instead.
When construction workers are injured in accidents, they are usually eligible for workers’ compensation. This can be particularly important for these workers since the physically demanding nature of their job means they might have a long recovery period before returning to it. Workers’ compensation can help support these workers and their families during the recovery. However, some employers may discourage an employee from applying for compensation, tell them they are ineligible or retaliate against them for applying for compensation. If this happens, the worker might want to consult an attorney.
