According to a report on the construction industry in 2018, proactive measures at Georgia construction sites could increase work safety by an incredible 670 percent. According to the Associated Builders and Contractors, which authored the study, this would work to out an 85 percent reduction in safety incidents.
The association says that proactive measures such as additional screening and training for newly hired workers can lead to a major downturn in workplace injuries. Some of the suggested programs include substance abuse screening and new-hire orientations. The Associated Builders and Contractors use these ideas in their program, known as the Safety Performance Evaluation Process. The other STEP indicators include holding site-specific safety inspections and toolbox talks. Furthermore, the STEP program suggests analyzing not only injury statistics but also statistics on the close calls as well.
Despite a nationwide push for STEP programs, there have been some negative trends in the construction industry recently. Fatal injuries involving workers being caught in or between machinery have risen 33 percent since 2011. Other common injury categories include being struck by moving vehicles or falling objects.
While the STEP program may limit the number of reportable safety incidents, job site injuries will still occur. An individual hurt on the job might have the grounds for a worker’s compensation claim. Legal counsel with experience in worker’s compensation law may be able to help a client navigate the claims process and potentially negotiate a monetary settlement with the employer or its insurance carrier. In cases where a settlement isn’t appropriate, an attorney could potentially file a lawsuit.
