Thanks to San Diego’s climate and the fact that California is among several states with the highest construction worker wages, there are a lot of construction workers in San Diego. As a result, there are also a lot of construction workers injured in San Diego and those injuries are often related to run over accidents when an employee is run over by a construction vehicle or machine.
These run over construction accidents are preventable, especially when vehicles and equipment are properly maintained and employees receive proper safety training. Construction site run over accidents can cause severe injuries and even death. Our San Diego construction accident attorney at Hiden, Rott & Oertle LLP secured one of our largest client awards at 5.8 million dollars for a client who was struck from behind at a construction site and lost the use of both of his legs.
HOW TO PREVENT RUN OVER ACCIDENTS
There are standard safety recommendations to prevent run over construction accidents including the following:
- Use a spotter when backing equipment with blind spots.
- Keep vehicles and equipment properly maintained, especially proximity warning systems.
- Include additional safety features in equipment such as rear cameras and reverse alarms.
- Develop a plan to minimize work to be performed near construction equipment and vehicles.
- Put up signs to notify construction workers of vehicle and equipment traffic areas.
- Comply with OSHA standards and regulations.
- Be sure construction workers are wearing highly visible clothing.
- Conduct safety inspections of all vehicles and equipment before construction work begins each day.
CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTION RUN OVER ACCIDENTS
It seems as though run over accidents are often being reported at California construction sites. Last month a construction worker in Bethel Island was run over by a piece of construction equipment and then he had to endure being run over a second time in order to be freed. The construction worker lived, but a construction worker in a prior incident in Palo Alto was not so lucky when he died from injuries after being run over by a Bobcat loader. Another construction worker suffered the same fate when he was struck and killed by a front-end loader at a construction site in Fontana.
INJURIES COMMONLY SUSTAINED IN CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENTS
Construction accident injuries can range from mild to devastating and those injuries can be caused by run overs and other construction accidents. Injuries may include cuts and lacerations, broken and crushed bones, dislocations, concussions, and severed limbs. Construction is a dangerous occupation and it is even more dangerous when construction companies do not ensure that employees receive proper safety training, they do not spot and eliminate work site hazards, and equipment is not properly maintained.
If you have been injured in a construction accident, contact San Diego construction accident attorneys at Hiden, Rott & Oertle LLP. We will review the facts of your case, conduct an investigation to help determine the cause of the accident, and gather evidence that supports your case. We will also look at safety and regulation compliance to determine if there were any violations. If you have sustained an injury due to a construction accident, you deserve to be compensated for your injuries.