How Faulty Tools and Equipment Can Lead to Construction Accidents
Construction sites can be dangerous places due to the use of large, heavy equipment and materials and multiple people performing different tasks at once. When working in one of these areas, it is important to follow the proper safety procedures. However, even if employers and workers take precautions, construction accidents can still occur due to defective tools or equipment. People who have been injured because these types of items did not function properly may be able to pursue a product liability lawsuit against a manufacturer or a company that did not follow the correct practices when performing maintenance.
Common Issues with Defective Tools
While any tool that fails can present hazards, some types of tools are more likely to cause serious injuries when they malfunction. These include:
- Ladders and scaffolding - When these items break, those who are using them can suffer fall injuries, which may include traumatic brain injuries, spine injuries, or broken bones. Hand tools or materials that fall from defective ladders or scaffolds can also injure the people walking or working below.
- Fall prevention equipment - Harnesses, safety straps, or safety nets may be used to protect those who are working in high places. Other types of safety devices, such as protective railings or barriers, may prevent people from falling in holes or off the edges of a roof or upper floor. If these devices break or otherwise fail, they may be unable to prevent dangerous fall injuries.
- Power tools - Electrical equipment such as drills or nail guns can cause electrocution injuries or fires if they are not wired properly. In some cases, defects in these tools can send projectiles flying that can cause injuries to the tool’s user or others working nearby.
- Heavy equipment - Defects in large pieces of equipment, such as cranes, excavators, or cement mixers, may cause drivers or operators to lose control and roll over a person or strike someone with moving parts. Parts failure could also cause these pieces of equipment to tip over and crush workers or damage the structure of a building, leading to further injuries.
Contact Our Aurora Construction Accident Lawyers
If you have been injured while working at a construction site, the lawyers of Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur P.C. can investigate your case and determine whether defective tools or equipment were to blame. In addition to helping you file a workers’ compensation claim, we will make sure you understand your options for pursuing a third-party product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of defective equipment. To learn more about how we can help with your case, contact our Kane County construction site injury attorneys at 630-907-0909 and schedule a free consultation today.
Sources:
https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/safety_haz/power_tools/saf_elec.html
https://www.osha.gov/top10citedstandards
