A conference was recently held in another state, including a speaker who is a corporate safety director in California. The central focus of the conference was employee safety. Speakers discussed ways to reduce the risk for construction accidents and also noted several issues that are often precursors to accidents resulting in serious injuries or fatalities (SIF).
Construction is known for being a high-risk industry for on-the-job accidents. The speakers at the conference emphasized that employers can help reduce the number of incidents by encouraging and empowering their workers to speak up when a safety issue causes them concern. In fact, a worker may issue a stop-work request on the job if a safety issue arises during a project.
Fatigue is one precursor that increases risk for construction accidents
California is one of many states that is currently in need of construction workers. This has led to existing workers being short-staffed and having to work long hours, which causes extreme fatigue. Fatigue often causes workers to become lax where safety is concerned, thus increasing the risk of an accident on a job site.
Stress over delays and completion dates contributes to risk
In addition to fatigue, California construction workers are often stressed due to challenges on the job that cause them to fall behind schedule regarding a completion date. Stress may lead to carelessness, which poses a safety risk. Finally, a lack of proper training and safety equipment places workers at risk for construction accidents. When a third party has been deemed responsible for damages, an accident on a construction site might lead to litigation, where a recovering worker files a claim against the person whose negligence caused injuries. Similarly, evidence of gross negligence could result in claims against the employer.