Rochester Personal Injury Law Blog

Injuries at work are quite common. However, when they happen on a construction site, they can be catastrophic.

To avoid such incidents, it is important to be aware of them. There are four common construction accident types that construction workers should be familiar with, as well as key facts related to worksite injuries. 

The deadliest crashes in New York and the rest of the world involve trucks and a smaller vehicle. One of the worst cases is when a car crashes into the side of a truck. Why is this worse than crashing into the back? At the side angle, cars are more likely to slide under the truck, wiping off the top portion of the car and killing drivers and passengers on impact.

According to a CNN article, underride crashes killed 750 people in 2015. This accounts for half of the deadly crashes that occur between cars and trucks. So, what is this one simple modification that can reduce road fatalities? Installing strong side guard rails on semi trucks could make all the difference.

Traffic congestions, construction sites and inattentive pedestrians are a major source of frustration for many New York motorists. Though proper time management and responsible driving behavior can help alleviate some of the stress you experience during your daily commute, these actions are not always enough to prevent motor vehicle accidents. If you find yourself in a motor vehicle collision, one of the first things you should do is get medical attention, even if you feel fine. 

Brain and spinal cord injuries are common after car accidents, and their symptoms do not always present in obvious ways. Though you may feel a little sore, bruised or have a few scratches, it is very possible there is more serious trauma lurking in your body. The stress, excitement and adrenaline racing through your body from the collision can mask symptoms of injuries, as well. Without immediate and follow-up medical attention, what appear to be minor or nonexistent trauma can manifest into more serious auto accident trauma and injuries later on. 

In 2018, ABC News reported that the New York City construction training was far too easy to cheat. To combat the ongoing problem of construction site fatalities, the city made 10 to 30 hours of safety training mandatory for construction workers. Laws stipulated that the training should be monitored to ensure workers do not cheat. However, the website-served training was often not monitored at all. In fact, people were able to get an OSHA certification for Fred Flintstone the cartoon character just to prove a point.

Less than a year later, CBS reported that construction had become New York City’s deadliest occupation. And, even worse, construction accidents and the resulting deaths and injuries are all on the rise. City data shows that injuries are up by 221% compared to five years ago, while construction work fatalities increased by 33% during the same period. This further begs the question of whether or not the safety training is at all effective for preventing construction work accidents, especially those that lead to disability or death.