Fort Smith Fatal Construction Accident Attorneys
Falls are the most common cause of death in the construction industry. Fatal construction accidents in Fort Smith and Arkansas can happen at any place, at any time, at any construction site, or on the way to any construction site. We understand that and can help you to navigate the legal issues arising from a fatal construction accident. We’re here to help at the Fort Smith Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield.
What Are The Fatal Four Accident Categories?
Construction is a dangerous industry and accidents such as being hit by objects, falls, being caught in or between objects and electrocution are rampant and frequent. These are the leading causes of fatal construction accidents. These accidents account for 36.5 percent of fatal construction accidents.
The Fatal Four accident categories are:
- Falls
- Struck by an object
- Electrocution
- Caught-in-between accidents
The Fatal Four accidents can happen for various reasons, including, but not limited to the following:
- Poorly marked or unmarked trenches or excavation sites.
- Unprotected elevator shafts.
- Litter and other debris cause a worker to slip and fall.
- Defective equipment.
- Unmarked floor holes.
- Unprotected ledges or wall openings.
- Poorly constructed scaffolding.
- Unguarded scaffolding.
- Improper or no safety training.
- Workers not receiving the right equipment to do their jobs.
- The equipment provided for the job is defective or not working properly.
- Being hit by heavy equipment or other vehicles on the work site.
- Broken high-pressure lines and/or hoses.
- Suspended loads falling.
- Airborn bolts, nuts, nails, and other smaller items.
- Tools dropped from a height.
- Falling lumber, cement blocks, scaffolding.
- Limited training on how to use required equipment and other machinery.
- Machinery not properly maintained, inspected, or repaired.
- Walls or railing not properly braced.
- Trenches and excavation sites are not properly supported or braced.
- Dangerous machinery not used as recommended
- Heavy machines are not properly shut down and secured.
- Proper safety procedures were not followed when locking down or shutting down machinery during repairs.
- Safety guards are not in place for dangerous equipment.
- Buried power lines being hit while digging or hit with metal equipment.
- Overhead power lines are improperly insulated.
- Using overloaded or not approved extension cord wires.
- Working in wet weather while not taking the proper safety precautions.
- Failing to have a ground fault circuit interrupter.
- Improper wire polarity.
- Circuits without proper fuses or breakers.
- Ungrounded electrical equipment.
- Tools being used with a plug or cord not insulated or grounded.
- Improper use of portable ladders.
- Poorly constructed scaffolding.
- Protruding steel rebars that are not guarded.
- Improper safety net systems.
- Improper personal fall arrest systems.
Top Reasons Fatal Construction Accidents Occur in Fort Smith
The list of reasons for fatal construction accidents in Arkansas and Fort Smith is never-ending, and they are rarely the same, such as:
- Being fatally crushed under a snow machine.
- Fatally struck by garbage truck sliding on ice.
- Death due to carbon monoxide exposure.
- Mechanic installing a transmission crushed between truck bed and frame.
- Death by drowning after a machine slipped into the water.
- A steel gate struck a worker.
- Worker drowning after falling into a river.
- Worker fatality as a result of a fall from a sump tank.
- Worker crushed by crane cab.
Fatal construction accidents in Fort Smith and Arkansas can happen at any place, at any time, at any construction site, or on the way to any construction site. We understand that and can help you to navigate the legal issues arising from a fatal construction accident. We’re here to help at the Fort Smith Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield. We understand the difficulties you face and can advise you of your legal rights and assist you in filing a wrongful death lawsuit or file a workers’ compensation claim.
Ten Most Violated Construction Safety Standards
The following are the 10 most frequently violated worksite standards as a result of inspections from October 2020 to September 2021:
- Fall protection, construction.
- Respiratory protection, general industry.
- Ladders, construction.
- Hazard communication, general industry.
- Scaffolding, construction.
- Fall protection training, construction.
- Control of hazardous energy (tagout/lockout), general industry.
- Face and eye protection, construction.
- Powered industrial trucks, general industry.
- Machine guarding, machinery, general industry.
To find out more about further top violations for specific North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes, visit HERE. To find out more about industry violations of specific OSHA standards, visit HERE.
Contact the Fort Smith Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield
If you have lost a loved one as a result of a fatal construction accident and have been denied workers’ compensation death benefits, or the claim is called into question due to the nature of the accident, talk to us as soon as possible.
We have decades of solid experience helping injured workers. We discuss your case with you in great detail, review all documentation, explain your legal rights, check filing dates, and more. We make sure you have all the information you need to understand why your claim was denied and how we intend to help you.
Reach out to the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield by calling (479) 361-3575. Our dedicated team of Fort Smith fatal construction lawyers is here to help.