Scaffolding Accidents and Injuries

Scaffolding accidents can lead to serious and debilitating injuries including neck and back injuries, bone fractures, ligament damage and head injuries.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) an estimated 2.3 million construction workers, perform work on scaffolding. In a study conducted by the BLS, approximately 72 percent of the workers injured in scaffolding accidents attributed the cause of the accidents to either scaffolding support failures or scaffolding planking becoming loose of falling.

There are a number of standards, rules and recommendations that have been created by OSHA as well as other various state occupational health and safety agencies related to the use of scaffolding.

Despite efforts to regulate and improve the safety of scaffolding for the construction industry, scaffolding related accidents continue to be one of the leading causes of construction related injuries.

Many scaffolding incidents are preventable and are often attributed to negligence of third parties during the scaffolding construction process including, using broken or aged scaffolding equipment or planking. Other causes include the failure to properly support the scaffolding structure or failure to use adequate fall safety equipment.

Methods for minimizing the risk of scaffolding related accidents or injuries include:

• Not exceeding the maximum height for the scaffolding structure (structure height should not exceed four times of the structure’s base)
• Using adequate fall safety equipment
• Using adequate support including outrigger beams, legs, posts and brackets
• Minimizing gaps on decking and planks

While there are many ways in which scaffolding can lead to serious injury, some of the most common causes of scaffolding injury include:

• Falling debris
• Overloaded planks or decking
• Lack of adequate guardrails
• Improper scaffolding support
• Lack of proper fall safety equipment
• Defective or broken scaffolding equipment

Determining who is at fault for a scaffolding accident requires a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident and what role each party played in the construction and safety inspection process. Parties that may be held accountable for a scaffolding injury may include:

• The scaffolding manufacturer;
• Third-party scaffolding vendors or distributors
• Any contractors or subcontractors who were involved in the construction of the scaffolding itself

As with most construction site accidents or injuries, there are typically multiple insurance policies that may, or may not be, a potential source of recovery for any injuries and having a qualified construction accident attorney will be crucial in identifying any and all potential responsible parties.

A qualified Boston scaffolding accident attorney at Curran Law Group, P.C. can assist you in exploring the legal options that are available and what steps should be taken in order recover the maximum compensation for your injuries. Attorney Joseph Curran has extensive experience in representing construction workers and others individuals who have been injured during construction related accidents including scaffolding accidents, heavy equipment injuries, trench accidents, demolition accidents, and other construction site accidents.

We will immediately begin working on your case and will take immediate action to attempt to preserve crucial evidence. We will then retain and secure the opinions of any experts we need to prove negligence and will aggressively pursue your claim against any and all responsible parties.

The consultation is always free and we do not get paid unless we are successful in recovering compensation on your behalf either through settlement, mediation, arbitration or trial. Don’t delay and call a Massachusetts construction accident attorney TODAY at 781-331-3811.