When working on a construction site, you may encounter a variety of unsafe situations and potential problems.
One issue for many workers is how to navigate scaffolding and the unseen dangers that lead to head or neck injuries. Seeking out more information on how scaffolding can cause personal injuries is important.
Significant height above the ground
According to the American Safety Council, one of the main concerns when it comes to scaffolding injuries and trauma is that even a short fall from a scaffold can lead to serious health concerns. Spinal cord trauma, which often happens when a person falls on their back, can affect your mental and physical well-being in severe ways.
While all workplaces need a competent person to check the scaffold before anyone else uses it, some may ignore or forget this step. This kind of negligence of guidelines can increase the chances that a fall may happen.
Weak structures and platforms
When a structure cannot hold the weight of the workers on it, it can collapse and lead to crush injuries. Heavy parts of the work platforms and metal pieces can fall onto someone’s head, legs or any other body parts without warning.
Even one loose screw or broken board puts you at risk for severe injuries.
Tripping hazards
If your fall arrest systems fail or the other builders forget to put up a guardrail, then you can trip on an item and not have any way to stop yourself from falling. If another worker does not clean up their workspace, smaller tools can crowd the walkway and lead to slip and fall situations.
Learning about the issues with scaffolding can help you if you are trying to decide what to do after an injury at work.