Training in the construction industry involves much more than learning the basics of framing techniques and drywall installation. Safety training on the job is critical for minimizing construction accidents. If an employer neglects their duty to provide proper safety training to their employees, it places everyone on the job site at significant risk of accidents and injuries, including catastrophic injuries with lifelong consequences. According to OSHA, one in every five occupational fatalities occurs on construction sites.
Inadequate safety training puts everyone at risk. If deficient training methods or regulations directly caused you to suffer an injury while on the job, your employer must provide compensation for your damages.
Common Safety Training Lapses on St. Louis Construction Sites
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) put regulations in place to require employers to train their employees to recognize and address unsafe conditions and practices in order to increase safety on the job. Training takes time and money, and busy construction companies with their focus on increasing productivity may allow training lapses to compromise safety. Some common gaps in safety training on construction sites include:
- Failing to educate employees on proper work procedures
- Failing to train workers on the proper use of new equipment
- Failing to identify unique work hazards associated with specific work sites
- Failing to train employees on the safe handling/disposal of toxic or hazardous substances
- Failing to instruct employees to wear proper safety gear or how to wear it correctly
- Failing to enforce employee attendance at training sessions
- Failing to require routine refresher training
- Failing to perform daily inspections of job sites to identify new hazards
These common lapses can leave employees vulnerable to dangers on the job site. In the construction industry, heavy equipment, elevated working platforms, and powerful tools put undertrained employees at high risk for serious and even grave injuries.
How Proper Training Mitigates Risks on St. Louis Construction Sites
When construction workers receive adequate training on risk management and regular refreshers and reminders, managers and employees can significantly reduce the instances of on-the-job injuries. Key safety training should include:
- Thorough training procedures for all new employees including presenting all safety policies and plans
- Conducting regular safety meetings with important reminders and new information
- Including employee training on basic life-support methods like CPR, defibrillator use, and emergency wound management
- Instruct project managers on the proper means of conducting pre-project risk assessments and daily inspections
- Make safety training seminars mandatory for all employees
- Keeping accurate records on training attendance
- Require employees to use the industry-accepted safety gear appropriate for each task
- Ensure all tools and equipment are up-to-date and meet safety standards
When new employees receive proper training, workers undergo regular refreshers, and project managers perform routine assessments, the risk of injuries on the job declines significantly.
Liability in Construction Accidents
Workers’ Compensation insurance works on a no-fault system where proving the cause of an injury isn’t necessary in order to receive benefits. However, if gross negligence stemming from inadequate training procedures on a construction project caused your injury, you may be able to file a lawsuit to recover damages. A work injury attorney understands how to investigate the circumstances of your construction site accident to prove negligence due to inadequate training caused your injuries and that you deserve full compensation for your damages.