A mind-blowing accident occurred in the Australian suburb of Melbourne A forklift driver was killed when a shipping container crushed him.
It was informed that the authorities related to the accident report were working.
This tragic accident reveals the danger in construction sites.
What are the most common causes of accidents on construction sites?
Construction sites are areas where work accidents are common. Accidents on construction sites can cause injury or even loss of life. For this reason, it is important to ensure safety in the construction area, as it is in every job.
We can examine the causes of work accidents under three headings:
- Direct causes: toxic, explosive gas, dust, etc. These are the causes caused by dangerous substances and high energy sources such as mechanical, electrical, and chemical.
- Indirect causes: unsafe working conditions. Unsafe work, which is used in the sense of working conditions without taking the necessary safety precautions, is caused by reasons such as faulty or inappropriate use of equipment, failure to maintain and repair the equipment on time, not using tools and machines on time, not using protective materials.
- Main reasons: The main reasons can be grouped under three headings
- Management’s occupational safety policy and practices (the importance it attaches to occupational safety, production-work safety target, distribution of responsibility and authority, training, appropriate and adequate control, etc.)
- Personnel-related factors (ability, training, motivation, physical and mental competence, individual attention, and performance)
- Environmental factors (temperature, humidity, pressure, dust, gas, steam, noise, lighting, etc.)
If you are injured on a construction site in Australia, you may be entitled to compensation for it. For example, you had a work accident in Perth, Australia. You received treatment after the accident, you had a lot of expenses from nothing. If you don’t know what to do about this matter, the compensation lawyers in Perth will understand and guide you.
Occupational diseases in the construction industry
Injuries at construction sites are not limited to accidents. Occupational diseases are also a very common problem in construction sites.
Occupational diseases in the construction industry are mainly caused by three reasons.
- Diseases caused by chemical hazards: Chemical hazards usually reach people by air. Chemicals present a hazard by inhalation or skin contact. Of course, liquid-semi-liquid chemicals and powders are also dangerous. Some common diseases are:
- Silicosis: A disease caused by inhalation and contact with silica-containing dusts. It is commonly seen in sand quarries, rock drilling rigs and tunnel boilers.
- Asbestosis: A lung disease caused by breathing in asbestos-containing dust. It is common in workers working with asbestos.
- Bronchitis: It is common among welders.
- Skin allergies: Common among cement workers and masons.
- Lung cancer: It is more common among asbestos workers, roofers, woodworkers, and welders.
- Lead poisoning: It is seen in bridge repair workers and painters.
For this reason, necessary environmental measurements should be made in places exposed to dust and gases.
- Diseases caused by physical hazards: Physical hazards exist in all construction projects. Noise, heat, cold, radiation, vibration and barometric pressure are the most important ones.
Noise has started to cause significant damage with the increase in the number of machines used in the construction industry. For this reason, ear protection equipment such as earplugs should be used.
Construction works, by nature, are dependent on meteorological conditions. The very cold weather or the very hot weather bring along important risks, especially for the workers working outdoors in construction.
Sunstrokes, hypothermia, frostbite, some ailments due to high and low blood pressure are seen due to being dependent on the outside air.
Strains and sprains are the most common damages in construction. Chronic physical problems such as tendinitis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and low back pain are frequently experienced due to traumatic injury, repetitive movements, standing and overwork.
- Diseases caused by biological hazards: Microorganisms that cause infection, poisonous substances are some of these dangers. In addition, the fact that many workers work side by side causes infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, hepatitis, and flu to be transmitted from person to person.
Depending on the magnitude of the accident, the worker may lose his ability to work. In such a case, TPD lawyers will explain what to do to eliminate the grievance of the worker who had an accident.