What to do if your employer won’t provide proper PPE
Before covid arrived and changed our lives, many of us had not even heard the term “PPE,” meaning “personal protective equipment.” It’s important to have proper PPE at any job where an injury may occur. Your employer should supply such PPE and also explain to you when and how to use it. Any employer that fails to do so may be responsible for his or her neglect. Furthermore, you may be entitled to compensation if you experience an injury due to your employer’s failure to provide you with PPE. An accident lawyer in our Tampa office can help you figure out where you stand if this occurs and you suffer injury.
Worker Injuries
Worker injuries do happen, which is why the law requires businesses to carry workers’ compensation insurance. However, a personal injury is quite different from a worker’s compensation incident. Workers’ comp might take care of you while you’re recovering from your injury, but a personal injury settlement could extend well beyond that and provide you more comprehensive financial recovery. Speaking to a Tampa construction accident attorney will help you determine if you should be asking for personal injury compensation instead of workers’ compensation.
Employer Negligence
Neglect is one of the main elements that cause a worker to be eligible for personal injury compensation. You may be eligible for such compensation if your construction bosses allowed you to work without the proper PPE, and you got hurt as a result. You should speak to a Tampa construction accident lawyer before you assume that you should apply for workers’ compensation. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to receive compensatory money that can pay your medical bills, lost work wages and living expenses – as well as full compensation for the injuries and other harm you have suffered.
How to Get Help
We urge you to speak with an accident attorney in Tampa such as the ones at Wagner, McLaughlin & Whittemore. This attorney can review your case and let you know if you qualify for compensation. There is no risk to you for scheduling an appointment. In fact, you might be eligible for more than you think.
Construction work is one of the most dangerous jobs in America. The four deadliest construction site accidents are called the “Fatal Four.” Out of 991 construction-related fatalities in 2016, most were caused by the fatal four. If you have been hurt on a construction site, you want to be represented by personal injury lawyers in Tampa Florida that has years of experience in this area of the law.
The Fatal Four
- Falls from High Places
Falls are the leading cause of construction site accidents. Every year, more than 100,000 construction workers are injured or killed because of falls. Even when death is not the result, the injuries are often life-threatening. Employers should have guard rails and toe-boards around elevated areas and dangerous equipment and machines. If you were injured on a construction site that did not follow safety measures, accident lawyers in Tampa FL can help. - Struck-By-Objects
Objects that fall from above, are thrown, that swing, or that roll can kill or injure workers. Incidents involving objects happen fast and there is no time to react. Safety glasses, goggles, and face shields can provide protection when caught off-guard. And hard hats should be worn at all times on the construction site. - Electrocuted Workers
Electrical mishaps annually cause more than 200 deaths and more than 3,000 injuries on U.S. construction sites. One way to combat this hazard is to provide safety training for employees. Workers should also understand the importance of wearing safety equipment at all times. - Caught In-Between Objects
Getting caught in-between objects is the fourth leading cause of construction site deaths and injuries. This type of accident is when a worker is squeezed or crushed between equipment. Unguarded machinery, rolling equipment, and collapsing materials are often the cause. Workers should stay clear of unguarded machinery and avoid walking underneath suspended loads or equipment.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney
Have you been injured on a construction site? Did one of the fatal four affect a loved one? Accident lawyers in Tampa FL can represent you. If your claim against the construction company is valid, an attorney can negotiate on your behalf with insurance companies. An experienced lawyer will know how to handle the complicated claims process.
If you have been injured on the job, contact us TODAY!
At first glance, the hit show American Ninja Warrior seems to have a lot in common with your run-of-the-mill construction site. Both involve high walls, open beams, strange objects, and questionable handholds. However, there are a lot of things you can do at a construction site to raise your chances of making it through the obstacles.
In American Ninja Warrior, participants are often shirtless and sometimes shoeless. At a construction site, wearing pants, shirts, and shoes are just the beginning. Most sites require safety helmets, and many ask for safety footwear and high visibility jackets or vests as well. The helmet keeps things from falling on your head, while in ANW, it’s more likely that a participant will fall on their own head. High visibility jackets, too, are more important when you don’t have a host of cameras trained on you and commentators reporting your every move.
Just like in ANW, construction sites are restricted areas. Make sure that you’ve passed the qualification rounds of training and have all your paperwork in order — especially that waiver — before going behind the fence. An unauthorized person on the course or the site can distract workers, which can lead to falls and injuries.
No matter the similarities, the biggest difference between a construction site and the course of American Ninja Warrior is the constantly evolving nature of the site. ANW has obstacles that aren’t growing or changing. Because construction sites require the use of large machinery and heavy materials, all the elements of a site are constantly moving. Because of that, vigilance, plus protective footwear, eyewear, and ear wear, are key.
If you’ve been injured at a construction site, contact the Tampa workplace injury attorneys at Wagner, McLaughlin & Whittemore today for a free consultation. It’s possible the construction site’s warnings were more American Ninja Warrior than Appropriately Noted Warnings.
If you have been injured on a construction site, call us now.
Most people take construction workers’ jobs for granted. Construction workers are responsible for all of the office buildings, homes, and roads making up our cities, but we seldom realize the great dangers they face every day on the job. If you or a loved one works in construction, you already know that this is one of the most dangerous jobs in the country. Thousands of construction workers are injured or killed on the job every year.
Some types of worksite accidents are more common than others. According to EHS Today, the worst construction accidents are called the “Fatal Four.” Officials estimate that if the Fatal Four were eliminated, 435 workers each year would be spared. The following points explain the Fatal Four, as well as ways to avoid them.
• Falls. Falls account for the majority of construction accidents. Wearing safety harnesses, constructing scaffolding properly, and covering openings to shafts or holes in roofs or multi-level flooring may prevent falls.
• Caught between objects. Getting pinned by construction vehicles or moving machinery may be prevented by taking steps to remain visible to vehicle operators, keeping your distance from moving parts and shutting down machinery when necessary.
• Electrocutions. Proper grounding or de-energizing procedures when working with electric cables or wiring may prevent fatal shocks.
• Struck by objects. Heavy objects that fall from heights and moving machinery parts are two of the ways you might be hit by objects on a construction site. Work helmets might help in some cases. Other protective measures include putting up barriers to protect people working nearby and being cautious when entering areas where heavy parts are in motion.
Federal safety standards are required on job sites to protect workers. In a great number of cases, accidents occur because of safety violations. Your employer might be liable for your injuries if safety standards were not enforced, training was not given to employees, or safety equipment was not made available. Call Wagner, McLaughlin & Whittemore to discuss your options if a construction accident has impacted your life and to learn about your rights. Our experienced Tampa OSHA lawyers can help.
