Construction sites are dangerous places even when all safety regulations have been met. There are often toxic chemicals, large machines, heavy materials, and working at great heights. When the proper safety measures are not observed on a construction site, catastrophic injuries can occur all too easily. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has put detailed regulations in place pertaining to constructions sites. These regulations mandate specific safety measures that must be complied with on construction sites. The regulations are meant to keep construction workers safe, but sometimes making safety a priority falls by the wayside.

What are the most Common OSHA Violations on Construction Sites?

Failure to properly protect workers from falling is far and away one of the most common OSHA violations seen on construction sites. This may be why there are so many fall related fatalities on construction sites. Fall protection violations often occur due to failure to provide proper safety equipment such as harnesses and guard rails. To prevent fall-related injury, construction site managers should work to ensure that proper fall protection equipment is always used and used correctly.

Under the category of fall protection comes another common type of OSHA violation relating to incorrectly constructed or incorrectly used scaffolding. Workers sometimes used scaffolds as ladders, but this is not the proper use of a scaffold. Scaffolds should not be used for climbing or scaling. Also, scaffolds must be built to support four times the maximum load it is intended to carry. They should also be built on a stable surface and properly secured to the building to prevent tipping. Weak or unstable scaffolds lead to about 72% of scaffolding-related injures according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Ladders are also frequently the subject of OSHA violations. Improper ladder use is far too common and can needlessly result in worker injuries. To avoid unsafe use of a ladder, ladders should always be inspected before use and workers should remain vigilant when using a ladder. Also, the proper ladder type and size should be considered before using a ladder. Metal ladders should never be used if working near live electrical wires. Ladders should always be properly used and should never replace platforms or scaffolds.

Large powered industrial trucks are also commonly associated with OSHA violations. These trucks are most commonly used to move construction materials. The nature of the violation will often depend on the type of truck involved, but violations usually relate to improper driver training or failure to safely operate the truck. Trucks are driven off of loading docks or a truck will end up hitting a worker when the driver fails to properly check his or her blind spots. Every truck operator must be properly trained and certified to operate the vehicle. The trucks should also be inspected regularly. Seat belts should also be used at all times.

Overall, lack of training and failure to provide and properly use safety equipment account for many of the OSHA violations seen on construction sites. Failure to observe these safety regulations leads to preventable construction site injuries.

Protecting Injured Construction Site Workers

Construction sites are dangerous places and that means that complying with OSHA safety regulations is all that much more important to the well-being of construction workers. If you have been injured on a construction site because of an OSHA violation, Katter Law Firm is here for you. Contact us today.