While fall injuries are a serious concern in the construction injury, they are preventable with some essential training, including ladder safety training.

Picking up from Fall Injury Facts and Statistics for Construction Workers (Part 1), the following presents some additional information regarding the prevalence of fall injuries on construction sites and what industry leaders can do to reduce these injuries, make construction site safer and, ultimately, to save lives. Specifically, while Part 1 of this blog focused on providing some fascinating and chilling statistics regarding how often fatal fall injuries occur at construction sites (and the types of falls that are more likely to result in a deadly head or brain injury), here in Part 2, we will take a closer look at what should be done to minimize the chances that construction workers will sustain serious, potentially life-threatening fall injuries.

Hands down, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Laborers Health and Safety Fund of North America recommend that construction companies and foreman do the following to protect their workers from fall injuries:

• Provide construction workers with the necessary personal protective gear, including helmets
• Train construction workers on ladder safety and other safety techniques when it comes to navigating scaffolding, working on roofs, etc.

Ladder Safety Tips

Here are some essential ladder safety tips that are important for construction workers to know before they start working on a job site:

• Always use the 3-point of contact rule when climbing a ladder (This rule states that, at any given time when a person is on a ladder, he should have three points of contact with the ladder – whether that been two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand).
• Always face the ladder when moving up or down on it.
• Place your feet on the center of each rung, and don’t lean over to one side or another while on the ladder.
• Don’t try to carry heavy loads while climbing ladders.
• Do not use the ladder if there is already someone else on it.
• Never stand on the top rung of the ladder.

Colorado Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

If you have sustained a workplace injury and are considering (or in the process of) filing a workers’ compensation claim, you cannot rely upon your employer or insurance companies to look out for your best interests. In fact, both your employer and insurance companies will be more focused on their own bottom lines instead of your current and future wellbeing. This can make the system adversarial for injured workers and potentially even put them in situations in which their legitimate workers’ compensation claims are undercut or even flat-out denied.

In such cases, it’s essential that injured workers contact the Colorado workers’ compensation lawyers at the Law Office of Michael P. Dominick. Our legal professionals are experienced at going up against corporate lawyers and insurance companies, and we have a proven track record of success when it comes to securing our Clients the maximum possible compensation for their injuries and financial losses. For a thorough evaluation of your case, along with expert advice on the best manner in which to move forward, call us at (303) 447-2644.