It is finally that time of year. Bathed in long hours of daylight, Milwaukee is at its greenest and warmest in June, July and August. We are serenaded in summer by jackhammers, dump trucks, power tools and cranes – the sounds of construction season.
Unfortunately, one of the sounds of summer construction is made by ambulances called for workers who have been injured on the jobsite.
Construction is a dangerous occupation. Sites are filled with heavy machinery, stacks of building materials, ladders, vehicles, scaffolding, tools and workers busy at a wide variety of tasks. Some of the injuries sustained by workers:
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Cuts or punctures
- Traumatic brain injury
- Electrocution
- Back injuries
- Illness caused by exposure to toxic chemicals
- Neck and shoulder injuries
- Amputations
- Eye injuries
- Joint damage
Of course, there are an infinite number of ways in which those injuries can take place, but some of the most common construction incidents resulting in injury include:
- Falls: one of the most common causes of construction industry injuries
- Falling objects: when a worker is struck by an object (often tools or materials) that has fallen from above
- Equipment: too often workers are struck by heavy machinery or vehicles on worksites
- Caught in between: when workers are trapped and crushed between equipment/vehicles and a wall or other piece of equipment
- Fires and explosions: often ignited by exposed wiring or flammable chemicals
- Trench collapse: typically, when trench walls give way and collapse over workers
Building collapse: can happen both in construction and demolition
The most important thing after an on-the-job injury is to get immediate medical attention. It’s also important to be aware of deadlines for reporting injuries to employers and filing for Wisconsin workers’ compensation benefits.
If injured on the jobsite, a worker can receive workers’ compensation benefits–including payment of medical bills, lost wages, and permanent disability benefits.
