Despite improvements to workplace safety, the construction industry remains a potentially dangerous profession.
- 80,000 workers suffered from work-related ill health each year (LFS)
- There were 30 fatal injuries to workers in 2016/17 (RIDDOR)
- and 64,000 non-fatal injuries to workers each year (LFS)
The vast majority of construction fatalities were caused by falls from a height. (Read more about falls from a height here.)
Non-fatal construction injury statistics: (HSE)
The construction industry is naturally one with many hazards because of having to work at tall heights, do heavy lifting, operate or work around heavy vehicles and working in an environment where there are many things being moved around such as wheelbarrows, timber and bricks which one could potentially trip over.
Construction workers work in varied environments, in all weather conditions. In addition to this, construction sites are dynamic workplaces with many different types of workers – potentially from several different companies, all working together on one site. Electricians, plasterers, bricklayers and labourers all have to collaborate, often from the very first day they meet.
But just because injuries are common in this industry and it’s a physically demanding job, doesn’t mean that injuries should be ignored or that you have to ‘put up’ with them.
The employer has a duty to protect construction workers from potential hazards. There are many health and safety procedures that employers have a responsibility to adhere to, and they should be enforcing employees to follow strict health and safety rules. Failing to do so, directly puts workers at risk of a life-altering accident. If you have been injured at work because your employer (or someone else’s) neglected to follow the correct health and safety procedure, you could be eligible to make a personal injury claim.
Even though you may be able to make a claim for personal injury compensation, many people in the construction industry are put off by the sometimes confusing nature of their employment. Many construction workers are either self-employed, work for small companies or frequently change employers. This not only prevents people from getting the correct health and safety instruction in the first place, but it also prevents them from making a claim because they assume they were to blame or the process will be too complicated.
If you have been injured working on a construction site, the best thing to do is to get advice from a solicitor. We offer free face to face advice where we can answer any questions you have about the complexities of the construction industry and personal injury. We have a wealth of experience in working with local people in this industry. We understand that it may not be immediately clear to you who was at fault for the accident and how to proceed. We operate on a no win no fee basis, so in the event that you were unable to make a claim, you wouldn’t have to pay anything.
To speak to one of our local qualified solicitors you can either fill in our claims form and someone will get back to you, or you can give us a call on 0800 163 622 between the hours of 8 am to 9 pm.
