Construction workers all over New York State frequently work with concrete. In fact, across the county, 250,000 workers manufacture concrete each year in the U.S. This building material is essential to our way of life and often provides the foundation for our homes, businesses and roadways. Without concrete, the world would be a different place.
However, concrete can be dangerous — as was seen in our recent blog post. In that post, we highlighted the story of a New York construction worker that was killed after part of a concrete wall collapsed. This story might have people wondering other ways that concrete can be dangerous to construction workers.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, around 10 percent of workers exposed to concrete are injured by it each year. Around 42 die. The risk of injury comes from many sources and includes the risk of chemical burns, respiratory problems from concrete dust, unguarded machines that make the concrete, improper lifting, falling objects and others.
OSHA claims that these risks can be minimized if construction workers and their bosses take proper precautions. For example, protective clothing can be worn to protect workers from wet concrete and burns. Or, making sure that concrete structures are properly braced to reduce the risk of falls during construction.
While these safety procedures can reduce the risk of injury, construction workers are still exposed to dangers on a daily basis. This blog post cannot provide specific advice to injured workers, however, those injured in a construction accident should know that they may have the right to compensation following an accident involving concrete or other hazards.