How common are scaffolding accidents?

According to statistics from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known as OSHA, approximately 65 percent of construction sites use scaffolding, lifts or ladders at the jobsite. Since a vast majority of these jobsites use scaffolding as a temporary means of elevating workers, it should come as no surprise that scaffolding accidents and injuries related to falls are among the most common at construction sites.

Due to the inherent risks of workers who are elevated, it is not uncommon for these injuries to be serious, catastrophic or even deadly. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is well aware of these dangers and has several regulations in place that employers and employees must follow to minimize the chance of a workplace accident.

Scaffolding and related equipment must be rated for certain capacities. This means that for scaffolding itself, it must be able to bear at least four times the estimated maximum weight. Furthermore, cables and ropes used to suspend workers, equipment or supplies must be able to bear at least six times the maximum intended weight. All scaffolding and related equipment must be supervised both during their assembly, as well as checked before each shift to look for potential hazards or issues with the support or integrity of the structure. In addition, all related accessories and safety equipment must also be checked before each use. This could include body belts, harnesses, droplines and trolley lines, as well as all anchored points of the structure.

Working in construction zones can be dangerous, and it is not uncommon for construction workers to suffer from injuries due to accidents at construction sites. A victim of a construction accident may be entitled to workers’ compensation for his or her injuries, which covers medical costs and expenses related to the injury, as well as lost wages while one recovers from their injury. A victim may want to reach out to a lawyer who handles personal injury claims to see whether they could be eligible.