Scaffolding accidents, sometimes resulting from factors such as weather conditions, are a serious and often fatal hazard in the construction industry. Each year, these types of on-the-job incidents cause 4,500 injuries and 50 deaths. Workers in Chicago who are injured in scaffolding accidents may be entitled to benefits through the Illinois workers’ compensation program.
A serious scaffolding accident occurred in Chicago recently at the construction site for the University of Chicago Cancer Pavilion. Two workers fell eight stories when the scaffolding for the elevator shaft they were working on collapsed.
Scaffolding accidents can leave workers with serious injuries, which often require extensive time off work and time to recover. If you were injured in a scaffold collapse, call our Chicago workers’ compensation lawyers at Martay Law Offices at 312-374-6403 to discuss your options.
With as much as 65% of the construction industry regularly working on scaffolds, any number of factors can contribute to accidents involving this equipment. Some of the most common causes of scaffolding accidents are preventable. They include:
Improper erection and dismantling commonly contribute to scaffolding accidents. Workers may assemble components incorrectly, fail to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for erection and use, or cut corners. Such action or inaction can lead to instability and increase the chance of collapse.
Sometimes, workers miss important steps to save time or money. Others may lack the appropriate training or certification to understand how to properly erect or take down a scaffold to ensure the safety of those using it, and those working around it.
Overloading a scaffold can result in a collapse, which may lead to serious or fatal injuries. Scaffolding is designed to support a specific weight load. As such, exceeding this capacity may compromise the stability.
When working with heavy loads, even within the allowed capacity, they should be placed near the scaffolding base to help reduce the risk of tipping. Those in the top 10 most dangerous jobs should keep in mind that dynamic loads, such as moving workers or equipment, can increase the stress on scaffolding.
Weather conditions can also contribute to scaffold accidents. For instance, rain or snow may make the surface slippery and difficult to work on, or ice may make the components more brittle and prone to breakage. Strong winds may cause the equipment and workers to become unstable, and can lead to scaffolding collapses.
Hazardous conditions seem to have played a part in the recent scaffolding collapse in Chicago. Around the time of the accident, wind gusts were reported at upwards of 40 miles per hour. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is conducting an investigation. Scaffolding safety guidelines recommend stopping work when wind speeds are over 25 miles per hour.
Lacking the appropriate bracing and support is a common cause of scaffold-related accidents. Bracing and support are vital components of safe scaffolding structures. As such, if these elements are inadequate or missing, it can compromise the stability of the scaffold, and contribute to a collapse.
The scaffolding was secured to the building after the accident. At the time of the incident, however, witnesses claim to have seen the scaffold swaying due to the wind.
Ignoring safety procedures also sometimes plays a role in scaffolding accidents. Such regulations are in place to help prevent accidents. Therefore, when not followed, it can expose workers to ranging hazards, including those that may cause serious or fatal accidents.
Scaffolding accidents can result in a wide range of injuries, including both physical and psychological. The most common of harm to result from scaffold-involved accidents includes:
Scaffolds allow workers to perform tasks at heights. Should they fall from these heights, they may suffer severe injuries or death.
One of the workers who fell from scaffolding while working on the construction site for the University of Chicago Cancer Pavilion suffered critical injuries. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, but no further update was provided on his condition.
Fractures are common injuries in scaffold accidents. Broken bones suffered in such incidents can range from simple breaks to complex fractures that require surgery to repair. In such cases, they may be eligible for workers’ comp benefits to cover their associated medical expenses and provide partial wage replacement.
Scaffolding accidents can cause the head to strike objects or be violently jolted in such a way as to cause concussions and other traumatic brain injuries. Injured workers may experience headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and difficulty concentrating due to such trauma, which may impact their ability to return to work.
Damage to the spinal cord or surrounding, such as is commonly suffered in scaffold-involved accidents, can lead to a serious group of injuries referred to as spinal cord injuries. Depending on the type and severity of these injuries, workers may suffer partial or total paralysis.
In addition to the physical injuries that can result from scaffold accidents, workers who experience such incidents on the job may also experience psychological injuries. Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other such mental health conditions may develop after going through the experience of a scaffold accident.
Due, in large part, to the heights involved with scaffolding accidents, many such incidents are fatal. Factors that play a role in scaffold-involved deaths include the severity of the fall, whether the worker had underlying medical conditions, and how quickly emergency medical care can arrive to render aid.
Turner Construction, the general contractor on the project where the scaffolding accident occurred, called emergency responders. However, one of the two workers who fell was pronounced dead at the scene. The technical engineer was 27-years-old.
While there will always be some inherent danger in working at heights on scaffolds, many accidents involving these elevated surfaces can be prevented by taking the appropriate steps. Both workers and employers on job sites where scaffolding are in use have opportunities, and a responsibility, to maintain appropriate safety precautions.
When using scaffolding to complete their jobs, workers can take important steps, including:
Workers should also regularly review their employers’ emergency procedures for responding to scaffolding accidents, and ensure they know how to report a workplace injury.
Employers have a responsibility to implement and maintain procedures for the use of scaffolds to help ensure the safety of their workers. Further, they should provide adequate, qualified supervision for scaffolding operations, and enforce these policies strictly.
To help prevent scaffold accidents, construction employers should ensure those who erect, use, and dismantle scaffolding have been properly trained. They should also make certain they have, and use, the appropriate equipment.
In managing sites with scaffolding, employers should conduct thorough inspections of these structures before, during, and after use to identify and address hazards or areas in need of maintenance or repair.
For the workers who suffer them, and their families, scaffold accident injuries can take a heavy physical, emotional, and financial toll. In such cases, injured workers have options through the Illinois workers’ compensation program, as well as the possibility of third-party lawsuits.
Under most circumstances, those injured at work, such as the worker in critical condition after the Chicago scaffolding accident, are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. These typically include coverage for associated medical treatment, partial compensation for wage loss, and disability and death benefits if injuries result in permanent disability or death.
Injured workers generally cannot file lawsuits against their employers for scaffold accidents. However, they may be able to file third-party lawsuits if another party’s negligence caused their injuries. For example, if a third-party contractor erected the scaffold, and there were defects or errors in the setup, the injured worker may pursue legal action against the contractor. A construction accident lawyer may help workers injured in scaffold accidents pursue claims to recover compensation for their economic and non-economic losses.
The cost of scaffold accidents can overwhelm injured workers and their families in Chicago. If you have been injured in a workplace accident involving a scaffold, however, you have rights. Whether through a workers’ compensation claim or a third-party lawsuit, our construction accident lawyers at Martay Law Office will help you recover the maximum compensation. Contact us today at 312-374-6403 to discuss your options.
