The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) works hard to ensure safety for people who work on construction sites. According to the laws set forth by OSHA,

You have the right to a safe workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was passed to prevent workers from being killed or seriously harmed at work. The law requires employers to provide their employees with working conditions that are free from known dangers.

PERSONAL INJURY CRANE ACCIDENT STATISTICS

Crane related injuries and fatalities are especially common, and the injuries can be so severe that they lead to a lifetime of pain or complications. The Department of Labor releases a report on crane related fatalities and injuries on a regular basis. According to the most recent one, here are some statistics about this specific workplace injury.

  • In one year, the average number of crane related fatalities is 72.
  • Around 30 different crane related fatalities were caused by falling objects from the crane itself.
  • Nine of the fatalities occurred when the crane struck a worker.
  • 26 of the workers in one year that were killed in a crane accident were working for private construction companies.
  • 6 workers were killed by crane accidents on highway or bridge construction.

Crane Related Occupational Fatalities, 2008

These injuries can happen for a number of different reasons, including the negligence of the crane operator or negligence in keeping equipment in proper condition. Most of the cranes that caused fatalities were mobile, overhead, and rail mounted. More than half of the fatalities occurred due to the use of overhead cranes specifically.

According to the Department of Labor statistics, the workers and job titles most in danger of crane accident injuries or fatalities include:

  • Electricians
  • Welders
  • Cutters
  • Solderers
  • Brazers
  • Construction General Laborers

The actual numbers for causes of crane related accidents include the following:

  • 20% falls while using or being near a crane
  • 8% struck by an object
  • 11% caught in equipment
  • 42% struck by falling objects
  • 10% transportation of crane equipment
  • 8% contact with electricity

The variety of ways in which a worker can be injured in crane accidents makes it clear that these situations are dangerous.

TYPES OF EXPENSES

Anyone who is injured in a crane related accident could suffer from medical complications for the rest of their life. They could also deal with very high expenses, including:

  • Loss of wages
  • Medical bills
  • Rehabilitation expenses
  • Short term disability
  • Total disability
  • Death expenses

People who have been injured or the families of fatalities should be entitled to compensation. The victims are entitled to benefits, and it doesn’t matter who is at fault. There are numerous different parties who could be responsible for the accident too, such as employers, inspectors, operators, and workers. While you may be entitled to compensation, it can be very hard to understand who is responsible and who should be dealt with. The laws surrounding these accidents can be hard to understand.