The construction industry makes up for 8.8% of the total Australian workforce - encompassing over 1.15 million employees (ABS seasonally adjusted data) in Australia. (lmip.gov.au)
It is obviously a very broad field of work including of residential and commercial builders, plumbers, electricians, labourers, traffic controllers, plant operators and the list goes on. The risks of injuries faced by these workers varies depending on the specific line of work being performed and the context in which it is performed, with some particular areas considered “high-risk”.
Examples of high-risk work include:
• Work with suspended loads such as with cranes and hoists; • Operation of forklifts; • Work at heights such as with ladders and scaffolding; and • Work involving the use of pressure equipment. Common hazards and risks of high-risk work: • Electricity; • Falling objects; • Plant rollovers; • Exposure to chemicals; • Body stressing; • Slips, trips and falls.
Even though tradespeople and construction workers are fully cognisant of the high-risk nature of their work, and while Safe Work Australia supports the requirement of safe work practices, workplace accidents continue to remain prevalent.
Common Construction Injuries in Queensland
Common injuries include slips, trips and falls and being hit by moving objects as well as repetitive movements and heavy lifting.
People who are mere ‘bystanders’ on-site such as managers or safety consultants can also fall victim to injuries due to the number of hazards present.
To highlight the severity of these accidents, a study from Safe Work Australia, 2015 states the following: “Around 12 600 workers’ compensation claims are accepted from the construction industry each year for injuries and diseases involving one or more weeks off work. In the construction industry, this equates to 35 serious claims each day”.
Workers’ Compensation for Construction Incidents
Employees who can no longer attend work due to a physical or psychological injury have the right to access compensation whilst in recovery. A successful claim could enable the employee to claim medical expenses, loss of income or a lump sum payment if permanent impairment has occurred. These payments and claims will vary depending on individual circumstances.
What are the next steps to take?
Sometimes, workers without adequate support can face harrowing ordeals to obtain compensation for their injuries.
So, if you have been injured on a construction site, it is highly advisable that you are to obtain legal advice from a reputable personal injury lawyer when seeking compensation for an injury. This will allow you to properly recover from your injury – removing any chance of insurer battles or further stress and increasing the possibility of your claim success.
Personal Injury Lawyers in Roma, Toowoomba and Regional Queensland
When considering the next step to take regarding your workplace injury, please follow the link below to discover more information on workers compensation and legal support.