Spring is just around the corner, even if the recent weather makes it hard to believe. As you know, it will be more common to see construction in Minnesota once the weather warms up. Spring and summer means construction season for most states across the country, and this might also mean an increase in accidents, whether you work in the construction industry or are a pedestrian near worksites.
If it is your job to put up buildings or improve roadways, you already know that you work in one of the nation’s most dangerous jobs, as FindLaw points out. When construction season ramps up, you will want to be on alert for the most common accident types in the industry. Known as the Fatal Four, these include falling, electrocution, being struck by objects or being caught in between machinery or objects. When you observe safety measures on the job and know the risks, you stand a better chance of keeping yourself and your coworkers safe.
What if you are a bystander, rather than a construction worker? You can be in just as much danger near a construction site as those who work in the industry, if you happen to be in the wrong place when an accident occurs. The Fatal Four can also apply to you, if you are walking down the sidewalk near a jobsite when something falls from the building or if an unsafe area is not properly blocked off. You could also be struck by a construction vehicle or moving machinery.
If you understand the dangers when construction season ramps up, you may avoid a preventable accident. However, you could be eligible for compensation if someone else’s negligence results in an injury.
