Common Causes of Scaffolding Accidents and Workers’ Compensation

In the U.S., there are over 3.5 million people employed in the construction industry, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

According to experts, nearly 65 percent of the job takes place on scaffolding. Working on scaffolding puts workers in dangerous working conditions if proper safety protocols aren’t followed. In fact, it’s believed that as many as 10 percent of construction workers will experience a workplace accident in the course of their career.

Experts suggest that by utilizing scaffolding safety protocols and proper training, nearly 4,500 injuries and as many as 60 deaths can be reduced each year.

Common scaffolding injury causes

When it comes to workers being injured on construction sites, the leading cause of injury is falling from scaffolding. Failing to comply with the safety requirements for using scaffolding is the third-leading safety violation amongst construction sites.

What’s more, most accidents involving scaffolding are completely preventable. Other injuries involving scaffolding include the following:

• Working on/with scaffolding that is defective (The most common causes of defective scaffolding is improper design or manufacturing as well as the system being assembled improperly at the worksite).

• Poor scaffolding maintenance (There are many parts to a scaffolding system. The individual parts should be inspected routinely to check for wear and tear due to usage and weather exposure).

• Substandard worker training

• Not complying with OSHA safety standards

• Not installing or using safety equipment (This includes using harnesses, netting, safety harnesses, helmets and or ropes to keep workers from falling.)

• Not protecting ground workers from falling objects

• Builder negligence

• Dangerous weather conditions (The most obvious adverse weather condition is working on scaffolding in high winds, which can collapse the scaffolding itself or push workers off. Working in extreme heat can lead to workers passing out and falling and wet/raining conditions can lead to slipping.)

• Coworker negligence (This involves working alongside coworkers who aren’t properly trained or who themselves work negligently on scaffolding.)

Common scaffolding injuries

When scaffolding is involved in a worker injury, the typical cause of injury is falling. Falling is bad enough to cause injury, but doing so from scaffolding brings extraordinary heights into the equation, which exacerbates the injuries involved.

Such injuries can include:

• Broken or severed limbs

• Damage to internal organs

• Spinal cord damage

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Are scaffolding injuries covered by workers’ compensation?

Under Georgia law, the vast majority of employers are required to provide workers’ compensation insurance for their employees. That said, some either fail to comply or don’t carry sufficient insurance.

Workers who fall under the umbrella of independent contractors may have further questions if they’re injured while on the job. Typically, independent contractors aren’t covered by a general contractor’s workers’ comp insurance.

However, that’s not the end of the story.

There’s a chance that an injured independent contractor could file a third-party personal injury civil lawsuit against either the contractor or the manufacturer of the scaffolding in question.

Another factor to consider is that when an injured worker files for workers’ compensation, they aren’t able to collect additional money for pain and suffering or other damages. If a third party was involved in the injury, the injured worker could sue them to collect pain and suffering.

Steps to take after a scaffolding accident

Workers who have been injured in a scaffolding accident need to do the following:

1. Get medical attention immediately

2. Report the accident to your employer ASAP (no later than 30 days, but the earlier the better)

3. File a claim with workers’ compensation with your employer

4. Consult an attorney experienced in workers’ compensation law

If you or a loved one were injured in a scaffolding accident, you have more important concerns than worrying about receiving compensation or how to stay afloat financially while you heal. Workers’ compensation cases are likely to be more complex than you think.

Hiring an experienced workers’ compensation attorney will both ensure that you get the compensation you deserve and give you the ability to focus on what truly matters: healing.