According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, employers in Tennessee and other states are responsible for employees’ health and safety. Addressing known hazards can go a long way in preventing workplace accidents on construction sites. Concrete work is one aspect that poses various risks to construction workers if the necessary safety precautions are not in place.
Manual handling injuries are prevalent in the construction industry. Workers must learn safe lifting techniques and work in pairs to lift heavy objects. The repetitive movements of shoveling concrete can take its toll on a worker’s back, and it is crucial to lift manageable amounts of soil and concrete at a time. Hammers and other tools used without the necessary care pose struck-by hazards, and so does the chute or boom of a concrete truck.
Randomly placed tools and other materials, along with uneven ground, form work and rebar pose trip-and-fall hazards that could cause debilitating injuries. The fresh concrete itself poses significant risks. Its caustic, abrasive nature could burn the skin or cause skin irritations. Wearing clothes that cover as much skin as possible is one way of mitigating this hazard, and it is a good idea to wash off any concrete or concrete dust from the skin.
Construction sites remain hazardous places, regardless of the company’s safety protocols. Work-related injuries can happen in the blink of an eye. Fortunately, in Tennessee, construction workers are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits to cover all their medical expenses and lost wages if their injuries cause temporary disability. Dealing with the benefits claims process could be daunting, and hiring an attorney to navigate the claims process might be wise. While a lawyer deals with the claim’s administrative and legal proceedings, the injured worker can focus on recovering and getting back to work.