Major accidents at construction sites are relatively rare events, but even one, most everyone would agree, is one too many.
When accidents do happen, and workers are seriously injured or killed on the job, one of the most common contributing factors is insufficient or negligent maintenance at the job site.
"When maintenance at the workplace is overlooked, the consequences can be deadly," Howard Raphaelson said. Mr. Raphaelson is a partner in the New York construction accident law firm of Raphaelson & Levine. "History tells us over and over again that poor maintenance at construction sites causes serious accidents."
According to Raphaelson, when owners, builders, contractors, and even the workers themselves don't follow proper maintenance procedures and regulatory conformity requirements, it can lead to a disaster.
"While I realize you can't ward off all commercial construction accidents," Raphaelson said, "there are four basic steps that every general contractor should follow to help ensure worker safety on the job:
- General contractors must be vigilant and constantly on the lookout for any potentially unsafe conditions that can arise at the work site. And, if they find one, fix it immediately.
- The general contractor should regularly examine areas of the site to ensure that the site complies with all safety codes and maintenance standards, such as electric, scaffolding construction, and heavy equipment operation among many other things.
- The general contractor should check for water leaks in pipes and keep ground and floor egresses dry and clear.
- General contractors should regularly inspect the many hundreds of heavy machines and power tools construction trade workers use every day on the job."
If you have been injured, or if a loved one has been injured or killed on the job, we urge you to contact the construction accident lawyers at Raphaelson & Levine. Our experienced team pursues the maximum compensation for all types of construction accidents. The compensation we obtain for victims of these accidents helps pay for necessary medical treatments and other expenses, especially if the injured party is unable to return to work.
