Philadelphia Workers' Compensation Blog

Work can be a dangerous place for construction workers in Pennsylvania and across the country. Because employees in construction handle heavy equipment and deal with incomplete structures, workplace accidents can be devastating. One area of construction is particularly dangerous for employees: trenching and excavation projects. The nature of these projects makes them vulnerable to cave-in and collapse, and too many employers don't abide by safety regulations. The number of fatalities on the job related to trenching projects has drawn concern at a federal level.

From 2011 through 2016, 130 workers were killed while engaged in trenching or excavation projects. Even more concerning, 49 percent of those deaths took place between 2015 and 2016 alone. In response, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced that inspections, education and enforcement related to these projects were national priorities. OSHA has already taken action to enforce workplace safety rules. One company was fined $400,000 for safety violations involved in trench cave-ins while another firm was fined $250,000 for failing to use cave-in protective systems while workers were in the trenches.

In January 2015, some revisions that OSHA made to its injury and fatality reporting rule went into effect. Between that month and April 2017, employers reported 4,185 fatalities and 23,282 severe injuries. They conducted nearly 15,000 investigations to evaluate the causes of those injuries or deaths, and OSHA conducted over 10,000 of its own onsite investigations. Employers in Pennsylvania may think that these numbers are mostly accurate.

According to the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General, however, they are far from representing the reality. The OIG refers to a former assistant secretary of labor for OSHA, who states that serious injuries in that two-year period have been underreported by 50 percent or more.

Workplace injuries affect millions of individuals across the United States. Pennsylvania workers' compensation works to remedy these injuries by providing benefits, so that workers may return to their jobs and have medical expenses paid for. Many injured employees do not know that they can also apply for and receive Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits in addition to their workers' compensation if they cannot work.

Workers in Pennsylvania can face real hazards on the job that put them at risk for sustaining serious, long-term injuries. A lack of safety training and knowledge can lead to severe accidents and even deaths in some cases. For example, people who work on aerial lifts can be seriously hurt if they do not know how to operate them properly and in a safe manner. Every year across the country, around 26 workers lose their lives while using the lifts. There are many issues linked to these deaths on the job, including falls, electrocutions and tip-over incidents. In addition, workers have been trapped or crushed between the bucket or guardrail and another object.

Before workers go up in an aerial lift, they may need to inspect the controls, guardrails and fall protection gear in order to avoid workplace accidents or injuries. Defective equipment can be deadly, so it is important to avoid using lifts with broken or missing parts. In addition, it is key that this type of lift is used in an appropriate area. Aerial lifts should start from a nonshifting, level surface and avoid overhead power lines and other serious obstacles. Even when using the lift on a flat surface, setting brakes and outriggers can help ensure workers' safety.