Those in Washington who work in the construction industry know that they’ll likely face risks and dangers while performing the duties of their jobs. Unfortunately, injuries are fairly commonplace for construction workers and fatalities are not out of the question. This is why safety awareness is a big deal in the construction industry. May 2 through May 6 has been designated Construction Safety Week by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Increased focus on construction safety
The entire purpose of Construction Safety Week is to bring awareness and increased focus to safety in the construction industry to save lives. According to OSHA reports, there were 976 construction-related deaths in 2020. OSHA reports also said that, out of all employee deaths in the United States, about 20% of fatalities happened in the construction industry. In other words, one in five of all job-related deaths were in construction work.
Help and support is available for victims
To help prevent injuries and deaths, it is very important to train workers appropriately. OSHA recommends that training should focus on the main hazards of most construction sites. These include electrocution, falls, struck-by hazards and caught-in or caught-between hazards. OSHA noted that safety is the responsibility of everyone and any person who sees unsafe behavior should take action and report it to those responsible to resolve the issue.
Fortunately, since there has been an increased focus on safety in the construction industry, injuries and deaths among workers have decreased dramatically over the last few decades. Despite increased safety awareness, construction accidents can and will happen. Victims in Washington who have been injured while working in the construction industry can benefit by speaking with an experienced attorney to learn about their rights.