You have good reason to take pride in the work you do in the construction industry. The growth seen in communities like Richmond may be the direct result of the efforts given by you and your coworkers. Yet with the rewards that come from a career in construction also come increased risks to your safety. Construction is widely recognized as one of the most dangerous occupations in the world, with countless participants sustaining injuries every year. Often, those injuries prove to be fatal.
Typically, these injuries are the result of workplace accidents. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has expended considerable resources to identify the most common workplace accidents in each industry (and thus promote increased awareness and preventative action). In the construction industry, four have been recognized as producing the most fatalities. Known as “The Fatal Four”, these include:
- Falls
- Being struck by objects
- Electrocutions
- Crushing accidents
Crushing accidents are those where workers are caught in machinery or in-between surfaces and materials or equipment. Together, these four accident types produce over 63 percent of fatalities suffered by construction workers annually.
You might think of workers’ compensation as a benefit that will help to cover your medical costs and recuperative services prior to you returning from a workplace injury. Is such coverage available to your loved ones if you lose your life in a construction accident? Workers’ compensation does indeed pay out a death benefit to your qualified dependents to cover the loss of your income. Typically, the payout is an amount equal to your salary multiplied by the workers’ compensation rate. That payout usually continues for a period of 9-10 years.