Workplace Injuries and Workers’ Compensation: Falling from a Height at Work

By Kenton Koszdin Law Office on October 29, 2019 | In Workers Compensation

Workplace Injuries and Workers’ Compensation: Falling from a Height at Work

More than one in five U.S. deaths in the workplace are from construction, and falls from a height comprise a large percentage of on-the-job injuries and fatalities. 

On average, employees who are injured in a fall at the workplace miss 20 days of work and can also experience considerable medical expenses, extensive rehabilitation, lost wages and physical therapy costs.

Workplace falls from a height can be caused by a lack of training or safety precautions, unsafe equipment or inadequate risk assessments about work areas. A worker can experience a fall from scaffolding, trees, roofs, ladders, cherry pickers, and even chairs. Workplace hazards can also include open holes and shafts.

Typical injuries experienced in a fall include fractures, debilitating spinal cord injuries and traumatic brain injuries or TBIs. If you experience a workplace injury, you are entitled to Workers’ Compensation benefits based on the extent of your injuries. Your medical costs should be covered and you may receive payments while you recover.

Prevent Workplace Falls with the Right Planning, Equipment, and Training

Business owners and managers have to provide a safe work environment for their workers. OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Association, recommends a 3-pronged action plan for employers:

  • Plan ahead. Assess each job that must be done from a height and decide how to approach the job, step by step tasks and what safety equipment is needed. 
  • Provide the correct equipment. Any task that puts a worker 6 feet or more above flooring increases the risk of death or serious injury in the event of a fall. Employers must provide fall protection such as guardrails, safety nets or personal fall arrest systems, including body harness, webbing, and horizontal or vertical lifelines. 
  • Train all involved. Workers and supervisors must understand the proper set-up and safe use of any equipment needed for each task. Employers are responsible for training workers in the safe use of scaffolds, ladders and fall protection systems as well as in hazard recognition. 

Workers: When asked to tackle a job that involves working from a height, make sure you have the right equipment, knowledge, and training to do the job safely before beginning.

Learn more about workplace safety at OSHA educational materialsOSHA Ladder Safety Guidance and the OSHA booklet on Protecting Roofing Workers.

We Can Help with Your Social Security Disability Application or Appeal If you or a loved one has been denied Worker’s Compensation or Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits, it’s important to get an attorney experienced in these types of cases involved immediately. Call our Los Angeles County office at 800.438.7734 for your initial free consultation, either in our office or in the comfort of your own home. The Kenton Koszdin Law OfficeSocial Security attorney in Van Nuys, can help you navigate the application process for the best possible outcome for you and your family.

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