Construction Accidents

7 Safety Tips for Working with Cranes

January 26, 2019 By James Hoffmann Leave a Comment

Crane safety is complex, but there are 7 basics that every employer should have in place to keep everyone safe.

An incredibly high proportion of cases that St. Louis workers compensation attorneys take involve construction workers. One reason why is their use of cranes, which are very powerful and frequently cause injuries.

Employers have an obligation to keep their workers safe and one way of doing this is safety training. Crane safety is complex, but there are 7 basics that every employer should have in place to keep everyone safe.

If your job involves working with or around cranes, you need to know and follow the safety guidelines. Your employer should provide the training and knowledge you need to stay safe at work!

Follow Company Guidelines

Though our safety tips are useful, your company should have a much more thorough list of guidelines. One of the best things you can do is go over them and apply them when appropriate. Doing so will keep you safe and ensure that your employer doesn’t accuse you of negligence after a work-related accident.

Make Sure Everyone Has Proper Training

When it comes to cranes, everyone who takes part in operating them should have proper training. This piece of machinery is not one that you can learn on the fly, so make sure you and your coworkers only do so after receiving adequate education. If you do see somebody breaking the rules, tell your supervisor.

Take Advantage of Safety Cards

One thing that your workplace might have are safety cards. What they do is take proper usage guidelines and put them in a form that is easy to understand. If these cards are available to you, don’t hesitate to use them when working in or around a crane.

Conduct Regular Inspections

As is true with any piece of machinery, cranes degrade over time. For this reason, it is a good idea to conduct regular inspections. Finding cracks, rust, or general wear and tear can be an indication that your crane needs repair and should not be used until your company resolves those issues.

Install Fall Protection

You and your coworkers may have to climb your crane at various points throughout the day. While doing so almost always goes smoothly, people occasionally fall. It is best to have fall protection systems in place for these events. If you do not have one, consider talking to your employer about the subject.

Don’t Rush

Rushing through projects frequently leads to mistakes. Rather than going fast, try to make a realistic schedule and stick to it. Even if you fall behind, being a bit late is better than suffering an injury.

Communicate

There are many moving parts when it comes to crane usage. What you can do to stay safe is communicate with your coworkers and make sure you know what is happening at all times. Doing so should keep you out of dangerous areas and situations.

Work Comp Attorney in St. Louis

Following the guidelines on this list will go a long way in keeping you safe at work. That being said, accidents can happen no matter how careful you are. The damages that come from them tend to be severe when working with cranes, so talking to a St. Louis work injury attorney is advisable in those situations. Though these accidents can be tragic, getting the benefits you need afterward helps a great deal. Hiring a skilled lawyer is one of the best ways to make that happen.

At the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann, our legal team has a strong history of helping injured workers get the medical attention and financial compensation that they need. Call us today at (314) 361-4300 or fill out our online contact form.

Avoiding Ladder Injuries at Work

December 4, 2018 By James Hoffmann Leave a Comment

Ladder accidents at work can result in severe injuries. Here’s how to stay safe.

Whether you work in construction, at a warehouse, or are simply hanging Christmas lights around your office once a year, you should always be careful when using ladders. This approach is crucial, as a mistake at height can lead to severe health consequences. Below, we help you avoid that scenario by providing some ladder safety tips that anyone can apply.

Pay Attention to Materials

One type of accident that often sneaks up on people is electrocution. What happens is that they need a boost to do some electrical work. Rather than using a wooden or fiberglass ladder, they opt for a metal one. This mistake can end in a severe injury.

Make Sure the Ladder is Sturdy

The last thing you want is for your ladder to collapse beneath you. You must check two matters to make sure this doesn’t happen. First, make sure it is designed to hold your weight plus any tools you might bring with you. Next, do a cursory check on the condition of the ladder. If it is old, rusted, or looks broken down in any way, you shouldn’t use it.

Be Wary of Weather

One of the most common ways people get injured on ladders doesn’t have to do with sturdiness. Instead, it is the weather, which can make the surfaces slippery. While appropriate footwear and tread on the steps can help, you should be careful when stepping on a ladder in wet weather.

Have Three Points of Contact At All Times

The safest way to climb a ladder is to have three points of contact at all times. This means that if you take one foot off a step to go higher, you should keep your other foot and two hands in place. It also means that you should keep both feet and one hand in place if you’re moving your hand up the ladder. Doing so gives you stability and prevents falls.

Wear Slip Resistant Footwear

As we mentioned above, one of the most dangerous aspects of using ladders is slipping. That’s why wearing slip-resistant footwear is such a smart idea. Doing so should keep you safe in times where shoes with no tread would not.

Use Common Sense

Above all, use common sense and don’t try anything that is too risky. Most of the ladder mistakes out there are not mysteries. Instead, workers know they shouldn’t act in a certain way, but do it anyways. When using a ladder, be sure to listen to that inner voice that tells you to be safe, even if you have to spend some extra time or effort to do so.

If you ever end up getting injured in a ladder accident, do not panic. Instead, get in touch with an experienced workers comp attorney as soon as possible. Still, avoiding these injuries entirely is preferable. You can do so by following the tips on this list and any further guidelines your workplace has. That way, you can continue to have the healthy and happy career that you deserve.

The Most Common Injury Causes on Construction Sites

August 22, 2018 By James Hoffmann 1 Comment

Once you know and understand the most common causes of injury, you can do your best to avoid them.

There are many good reasons to work in the construction industry, but unfortunately, they come with a cost. That cost is the risk of injury, which is higher than many professions. This does not mean you should avoid construction jobs entirely, though. Instead, you should understand the most common injury causes and keep your eye out for them. If you are ever injured, it’s a good idea to talk to a St. Louis work injury lawyer about obtaining workers compensation benefits. Of course, it is better that you never sustain an injury at all. You can increase your odds of avoidance by reading and applying the information below.

Falls From Significant Height

Not only are falls the most common type of injury on construction sites, they are also the deadliest. The reason for this is twofold. First, the falls that construction workers experience are usually higher than any other profession. If you work in a restaurant, you are at risk to slip and fall from only ground level. In construction, that often happens on scaffolding, which puts you many feet in the air. The second reason is that there are often many objects lying around the site. Whether that is building materials or machinery, you are at risk of tripping over them and into them if you are not careful.

Falling Objects

Another way construction workers sustain injuries is getting hit by falling objects. While some construction sites are solely at ground level, many of them involve a multi-story building or machinery that raises materials above eye level. The result is falling objects, which pick up speed very quickly. When they hit you, their speed and weight can combine to be incredibly dangerous.

Electrocutions

When a new building is being erected, the electrical situation is often not worked out yet. Additionally, many types of machinery hold a significant charge. Each of these factors leads to electrocutions, which can be deadly.

Tripping

Though these accidents are not as dangerous as falling from a significant height, they still can have severe health consequences. Falls often lead to soft tissue injuries, cuts, and scrapes, all of which may be enough to warrant compensation. What makes tripping even more dangerous is the material that is lying around on the site. If you trip and fall into something sharp, your injury has the potential to be even more damaging.

Equipment

When you use heavy machinery, there is always risk involved. The tools you use on a construction site need to be powerful enough to destroy and build structures, so they are definitely powerful enough to injure you.

Vehicles

Many construction sites involve vehicles constantly driving around to carry out various functions. Though the drivers of them are usually careful, you should watch out for them too.

Once you know and understand the most common causes of injury, you can do your best to avoid them. Still, no matter how careful you are, you could sustain an injury on the job. If this is the case, it is wise to speak with a St. Louis workers compensation lawyer right away. With their assistance, you can significantly improve your situation by obtaining the compensation you are legally entitled to for your injuries.

Call 24/7 for a FREE Case Evaluation

(314) 361-4300

St. Louis Work Injury Lawyer: The 3 Most Dangerous Jobs in Missouri

July 22, 2018 By James Hoffmann Leave a Comment

We work with employees from a wide range of industries to pursue the right work comp benefits or to appeal a denial of your injury claim.

While nearly every profession experiences workplace injuries and workers’ compensation claims, there are specific jobs that are much more dangerous than others. Interestingly, which professions have the most risk varies throughout different regions. To prove this point, the two most dangerous job in the US are logging and fishing. Because Missouri doesn’t have much of a logging or fishing industry, its list is a bit different than the countrywide one. The top 3 on that list are listed below.

Transportation and Warehousing

This industry comes in first place, accounting for 15.4% of Missouri worker deaths. Though transportation is grouped with warehousing, the vast majority of accidents come from driving. There are two primary reasons for this. The first is the number of semi-trucks that come through Missouri. Given the state’s central location in the Midwest, there is a lot of transportation going on at all hours of the day. This high level of usage on the roads creates more opportunity for accidents. The second aspect is the general safety of the driving profession. Not only are the trucks themselves hard to operate, but the drivers are often distracted and working on little sleep. The combination of these factors results in a high number of injuries and deaths.

Manufacturing

When people hear workers’ compensation, their mind often goes to manufacturing. This is a situation that is backed up by data, given that this industry accounts for 12.8% of worker deaths in Missouri. The reason for this is the environment found in most factories. There is heavy machinery everywhere that is powerful enough to do severe damage. No matter how responsible an employee and an employer are, things can still go wrong. One additional factor is employee alertness. Some manufacturers give reasonable hours, but others encourage their employees to work very long hours. This leads to fatigue, compromised alertness, and injury.

Construction

This job comes in third, accounting for 9.4% of deaths. This happens for two reasons. The first is the work environment itself, which features heavy tools, machinery, and materials. Each one of these can lead to a severe injury without taking proper care, and high levels of noise further heightens risk. The second reason is that a high percentage of construction happens on the side of roads. When this is the case, workers are especially at risk because they might be hit by a passing vehicle.

Work Accident Lawyer in St. Louis

If you have been injured at work, you need answers and money quickly. You have bills to pay, a family to take care of, and a job to go back to. At the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann, we work with employees from a wide range of industries to pursue the right benefits or to appeal a denial of your injury claim.

The Missouri Workers Compensation system is not your friend. We can help you take the steps necessary to protect your rights and recover payment for lost wages, medical care for your injuries, or a settlement for permanent partial disability or permanent total disability should you not be able to return to work.

Call us Today at (314) 361-4300 or fill out our online contact form to request a FREE consultation!

Injuries From Roofing Fall Accidents – St. Louis Work Injury Lawyer

October 4, 2017 By James Hoffmann 1 Comment

Due to the fact that roofers work high above the ground most of the time, their jobs are inherently dangerous.

Working on roofs can be extremely dangerous. There have been many cases where a roofer has lost his life after falling from a height. Due to the fact that roofers work high above the ground most of the time, their jobs are inherently dangerous. In this post, our St. Louis work injury lawyer will talk about the common injuries sustained in roofing fall accidents on a construction site.

Injuries Sustained in Roofing Fall Accidents

Accidents can happen even when proper fall protection equipment is used. Even if the roofing worker survives a fall, the injuries sustained are often severely disabling. Some of the common injuries sustained by roofing workers include:

Broken Bones: Roofing falls often cause broken bones. When a worker falls off a roof or a ladder, they land on some part of the body, and force of this impact is strong enough to break bones.
Back injuries: These injuries are also fairly common among roofing workers because their work involves lifting heavy tools and materials. They may have to carry heavy objects up and down ladders. This puts them at risk of suffering back injuries. Crouching and bending for a long time period can also cause back strain and pain.
Heat stroke: Sun exposure is among the most common causes of roofing injuries. Sun exposure can cause severe sunburns, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which can land the worker in a hospital and can even cause death. Lack of proper hydration and sun protection puts the workers at an increased risk of injuries from sun exposure.
Toxic fumes: Roofing workers who work with asphalt roofing can get exposed to fumes from asphalt. Prolonged and excessive exposure to these fumes can cause a chronic cough and skin cancer. Asphalt exposure can cause symptoms such as eye irritation, throat irritation, fatigue, and headaches.
Puncture wounds: This is a common injury that roofing workers face each day at work. These injuries can range from minor puncture wounds to severe cuts and lacerations from power tools.
Paralysis: A common accident scenario that can lead to a severe spinal cord injury is when a worker falls from a height and tries to avoid the fall by grabbing on to something. This can cause the worker to twist his/her body mid-fall, which can result in the worker falling on his/her chest, back or head. Any injury to the victim’s neck or back can lead to a spinal cord injury, which can, in turn, lead to paralysis

Seeking Workers Compensation Benefits for Roofing Injuries

Most roofing accidents lead to severe injuries, as discussed earlier. If you have suffered injuries in a roofing accident at work, you are likely entitled to workers compensation benefits to cover your medical costs and a part of your wage loss. Consult with an experienced St. Louis workers compensation lawyer to learn more about your rights and to ensure they are protected right from the start of your claim. Call the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann 24/7 at (314) 361-4300 for a FREE case evaluation.

Heavy Machinery Accidents – St. Louis Work Injury Lawyer

October 3, 2017 By James Hoffmann Leave a Comment

If you work in the manufacturing or construction industry, you no doubt understand that occupational hazards can cause serious injuries and even death.

While proper maintenance of equipment, compliance with safety rules and proper vigilance can reduce the risk of sustaining catastrophic injuries or death, construction projects are inherently dangerous. While there are numerous hazards present on a construction site, heavy machinery poses a particularly serious threat to both the operators and those working around them. In this post, our St. Louis work injury lawyer will talk about the risk of heavy machinery accidents on construction sites.

Heavy Machinery on Construction Sites

Construction sites usually have a lot of moving parts, so any carelessness, distraction and defective parts can cause injuries to workers. There are several types of heavy machinery that can pose a threat to those present on construction sites. These include:

Truck Crane
Excavator
Bulldozer
Side Loader
Wheel Loader
Forklift
Dump Truck
Asphalt Paver
Bucket Truck
Tractor Truck
Boom & Arm

This list is far from exhaustive, and there are many other types of heavy machinery used on a construction site. There are several ways in which people get injured in heavy machinery accidents, which include:

Operators being injured when equipment rolls over
Crashes involving other motor vehicles
Running over workers on the ground
Objects falling from cranes
Improperly attached booms
Improper safety procedures
Rushed work
Reckless behaviors
Bad weather

These are just some of the type of heavy machinery accidents that can cause serious and even life threatening injuries on construction sites. These injuries often cause long periods of disability and can jeopardize the financial stability of the family.

In a recent case reported in another state, a construction worker working in collaboration with a heavy machinery operator was mowed down to death when the operator failed to notice the worker on the ground. There are several such accidents reported each year. Many of these accidents can be avoided by following better safety procedures, through better worker training and proper maintenance of heavy machinery.

Common Injuries From Heavy Machinery Accidents

Heavy machinery accidents often cause serious and disabling injuries. Some of the common injuries reported are:

Broken bones
Crush injuries
Spinal cord injuries
Head injuries
Traumatic brain injuries
Internal organ injuries

Seeking Compensation for Heavy Machinery Accidents

An injured heavy machinery operator can generally claim workers compensation benefits from their employer. However, these benefits are typically limited to medical and disability benefits. If the heavy machinery accident was a result of third party negligence, the worker may be able to file a personal injury claim against the third party.

If you have suffered serious injuries in a heavy machinery accident on a construction accident, and you need help with your workers compensation claim, get in touch with an experienced St. Louis work injury lawyer. Call the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann at (314) 361-4300 to schedule a FREE consultation.