While many jobs are dangerous for employees, the construction industry is notorious for being particularly perilous, a reputation that can at least partially be attributed to the high incidences of scaffolding and ladder accidents amongst workers. In fact, according to the Florida Occupational Health and Safety Program (OHSP), falls from scaffolding and ladders account for nearly one-third of all workplace fatalities in Florida’s construction industry.
Unfortunately, scaffolding and ladder accidents also tend to result in particularly devastating injuries. If you or a loved one were injured in a scaffolding or ladder accident and have questions about your accident-related losses, it is important to speak with an experienced lawyer who can help you file a claim with your employer.
Scaffolding Accidents
Most construction sites require the erection of some sort of scaffolding to help workers safely access difficult-to-reach parts of a structure. Unfortunately, because scaffolding requires employees to work at great heights, falls and other scaffolding-related accidents tend to have serious consequences. These types of accidents have a number of causes, but most can be attributed to:
- Improper scaffold design;
- Improper construction;
- Insufficient guardrails or toe boards;
- Unsafe harnesses;
- The use of defective tie wires, bracing, locks, or planking;
- Overloading;
- Attachment point defects; and
- Inadequate training or supervision.
These kinds of errors, when they lead to scaffolding accidents, tend to result in severe injuries, such as crushed or broken bones, spinal cord injuries, head trauma, and internal injuries.
Catastrophic injuries of this nature require extensive treatment, which can quickly become financially overwhelming for victims and their families. Fortunately, employees who are hurt in scaffolding accidents while on the job can recover compensation for medical bills and a portion of their lost wages, regardless of the cause of the accident.
Ladder Accidents
Like scaffolding accidents, falls from ladders are some of the most commonly reported workplace injuries in Florida and are often the result of:
- A ladder being set up on an unstable surface;
- A failure to inspect the ladder for defects;
- A failure to provide fall protection like barricades and restraints; and
- A failure to provide ladder safety training.
It is also not uncommon for ladder fall accidents to be the result of another employee’s negligence, such as knocking it off balance while walking by. Regardless of the cause, falls from ladders can and do cause serious injuries, many of which primarily affect the back and neck.
Speak with an Experienced Fort Lauderdale Workers’ Comp Lawyer
It’s important to remember that construction workers are not the only employees who use scaffolding and ladders. Painters, window cleaners, and maintenance workers, for example, routinely work around and on ladders and scaffolding on a regular basis. Fortunately, almost all employers in Florida are required to obtain workers’ compensation insurance, so employees from a wide range of industries are covered in the event of an injury. To learn more about recovering compensation after being injured in a scaffolding or ladder accident at your own workplace, please call one of the experienced Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation attorneys at The Law Offices of David M. Benenfeld, P.A. at 954-677-0155 today.
