For people trying to make repairs or improve their homes, as well as for professionals working in the construction industry, certain tools present a greater danger than others. Recognizing these tools and treating them with respect is a great way to reduce your chances of a serious injury, but even when you practice caution, someone else can still injure you.
Here is the equipment most likely to cause damage during a construction project:
- Ladders
The most dangerous tool for do-it-yourselfers (DIYers) and construction workers is a ladder. Ladders can seem innocuous; after all, there are no spinning blades, loud noises, or powered moving parts. In reality, ladders present an incredibly high risk of falls, especially when used by someone who is inexperienced with them.
Ladders should be tall enough for the work they are used for, and they need to be positioned so someone on the ladder does not need to lean while using them. On construction sites, they must be secured and have a spotter to keep everyone safe.
Falls from ladders can result in serious injuries, including broken bones, internal organ damage, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries. Catastrophic injuries from a ladder can have a terrible impact on the rest of a person’s life – or even be fatal. Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, has successfully handled countless lawsuits involving a fall off a ladder.
- Hardware
For DIYers and a lot of professionals, hardware like nails, screws, and tacks cause harm. One of the biggest dangers from these objects is the risk of stepping on them, and a nail or screw going through the shoe and into the foot, causing tetanus or a blood infection. This is why protective boots must always be worn at these kinds of job sites, and DIYers should wear strong shoes and watch their step.
- Lawnmowers
The spinning blades in lawnmowers can be extremely sharp, and it is easy for someone to sustain a serious injury while maintaining or repairing these tools. Maintenance should only be performed by professionals, and anyone interacting with the blade of a lawnmower should wear protective gloves and ensure the machine cannot become active.
- Power Saws
Power saws use electricity to spin or oscillate saw blades at high speeds with a great deal of power behind them. Poor positioning or a lack of guards can allow a saw blade to go into an arm or leg, or for a finger to be completely severed. Never use a defective piece of equipment, and always stay focused on the task at hand. Others at a worksite or working on a DIY project must always be aware of someone using a power saw and behave safely around them. If someone inserts the wood incorrectly, or doesn’t brace it, kickback could cause serious injury.
- Cleaning Equipment
Cleaning equipment and similar chemicals, including paint, can be quite dangerous on a job site or a DIY project. These are often toxic when breathed in, especially when used in an enclosed space. Certain types of chemicals can even react with each other and create dangerous gases or explode.
How a Top NYC Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
Laborers working in construction who are injured at a jobsite should report the accident as soon as possible—and take pictures of the accident scene. Not only does this give employers a chance to fix the dangerous situation, but a prompt report is necessary for filing a workers’ compensation claim. Any delay in filing a report or seeing a doctor may reduce the chance of your claim being accepted, since it allows the insurance company to claim your injury occurred afterward.
Serious injuries at construction sites are not always purely an accident, but can be caused by someone else’s negligence. A top NYC personal injury lawyer at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, can help you file a lawsuit if someone else should be held liable for causing your injury. If your workers’ comp claim is denied, we can also help with filing an appeal and going through the appeals process.
Don’t delay. Call (212) 986-7353 to talk to a lawyer who knows how to handle construction accidents in New York City. Your consultation is free, and if we take your case, so is our representation, until we get you the money you deserve.