When you are working in construction there are a lot of risks involved. Many of us have seen the TV show “The Most Dangerous Jobs” and here are some of the very common injuries that come along with jobs like that:
- Burns. Burns of all degrees are the single most common injuries in the construction industry. Chemicals, exposed wiring and other factors make fires and burns at construction sites all too likely. These need to be handled carefully or a worker can become seriously hurt.
- Head injuries. Head injuries are also dangerously common at construction sites, especially when the crew is building from the ground up or digging into the earth where objects fall frequently. This can result in a plethora of injuries, such as concussions, lacerations and brain trauma. A hard hat can help protect against these, but does not provide complete protection.
- Spinal cord injuries. These are most typically caused by falls. This can happen when someone is on scaffolding, climbing up a ladder, or in other dangerous elevated areas. These are very common around construction sites. Brain damage, paralysis and other disabilities can all be a result of these accidents.
- Cuts and gashes. It’s kind of surprising that this isn’t higher on the list, but gloves can sometimes protect against these injuries. Poorly maintained tools, defective machinery, nails laying around and other factors can cause cuts and gashes. These can also lead to infections which complicate matters further.
- Broken and fractured bones. There are countless heavy objects around construction sites. When handled irresponsibly, these objects can crush your bones in gruesome ways. All machinery needs to be properly secured and operated to ensure the safety of everyone on site.
- Loss of limb. Some of the above injuries, such as broken bones/fractures and even infections can necessitate amputations. Even worse, sometimes an injury will directly result in a limb being severed. These are horrifying injuries and can leave someone disabled for life.
- Hearing loss. Typically, construction workers wear earplugs to protect their ears against the constant loud noises of heavy machinery. Working with a jackhammer can cause severe damage to your hearing in just a day or two. Even if a worker is protected with earplugs, a heavy blow to the side of the head can cause loss of hearing.
