At California City construction sites, Defective Safety Belts and falls are the leading cause of death and the most common injury. California Law mandates the use of lifelines and safety belts for employees working at heights as a means of enhancing worker safety.
Accidents that construction workers in California have encountered
Among the most common causes of construction site injuries are falls, electrocution, and equipment failure due to negligence.
Below, we’ll go over each of these topics in more detail, with links to additional resources.
- Falling objects can strike a worker, or a worker can fall to their death from a great height. Accidents involving falling objects are fairly self-explanatory and frequently the result of human error. Scaffolding failures, issues with ladders, broken floors, or the failure of lifts are common causes of worker falls.
- Crane accidents and debris, demolition accidents, and faulty lifts used by window washers on high rises all fall under the category of construction equipment failure.
- If proper safety precautions have been followed, electrocution accidents are usually clear-cut cases of negligence. Injuries caused by electrocution can be caused by faulty equipment that should have been replaced, cut corners, or site managers not enforcing the correct procedures.
Regulations for lifelines, safety belts and restraint systems are contained in Section 23
Using equipment that is not approved. There must be an approval process in place for safety belts, harnesses, and other special devices that are attached to hanging lifelines.
Attachments that don’t work. All safety belts and harnesses must be attached to a tail line or hanging lifeline that is securely anchored in the ground. A worker cannot fall more than five feet from these attachments.
Failed training. Safety belts and harnesses must be properly worn, used, and attached by all employees before they can be put to use. Employees who wear belts or harnesses while working should also be checked for compliance with safety regulations by their employers.
Tail lines that are weak or trailing. At least 4,000 pounds breaking strength is required for tail lines, which must be made of approved materials (such as manila or synthetic fibre). Tail lines should never be longer than four feet in length, and should be kept to the minimum length necessary to perform work
Insufficient means of escape. At least 4,000 pounds breaking strength is required for a lifeline to secure to an anchoring point. Any place where a hanging lifeline comes into contact with a building edge, protrusion, or object that could cut or weaken the lifeline should be protected with padding.
Using faulty safety equipment. A competent person must inspect all of the safety belts, harnesses, and lifelines before each use. The unsafe equipment must be removed from the job site if it shows any signs of damage (such as mildew, tears, excessive wear, or deterioration).
After a Construction Accident, the Assistance You’ll Need
The California Construction injury lawyers at DYS Law Group can assist you if you were injured in a fall while working on a construction site. For more information on your legal options following a construction site accident, request our Form you can call us at (310) 473-2355
