Personal Injury Cases: Moving on to Better Things

How To Keep Pedestrians Safe At A Construction Zone

Construction sites are dangerous grounds for pedestrians since they do not have the appropriate safety knowledge for such places. Liabilities arising out of such injuries can cost thousands (or even millions) of dollars. If you are in charge of a construction site, then you should prevent pedestrian injuries by:

Erecting Barricades

If pedestrians get too near to the construction site, then they may get injured by:

  • Falling objects
  • Stumbling on tools (such as spades)
  • Slipping on slippery surfaces (such as spilt paint)
  • Heavy machinery such as cranes

One of the best ways of keeping pedestrians away is to erect barricades. Anybody who breaches the barricades then is a trespasser.

Putting Up Warning Signs

Some people may go beyond the barricades believing that they have a valid reason for doing so, for example, if they want to talk to a family member working at the site. Reduce your liability for such people's injuries by putting up warning signs at all access points.

The sign should warn pedestrians to keep off the site and advise those who go beyond the barricades to adorn safety hats. People also like to crowd around heavy construction machinery, probably to see how the machines operate (you have probably seen crowds watching a hole being dug in the street). A "No Idlers Allowed" sign may help to keep away such people. That way nobody can get hurt and later claim that he or she did not know that it wasn't safe to be on the site.

Securing Tools Not Being Used

Some types of injuries can occur even after hours, when all workers have put down their tools for the day. Such injuries are often occasioned by poorly secured tools. Therefore, ensure that all objects are properly secured so that they cannot fall or roll off when disturbed by external forces such as strong winds or tremors from nearby construction sites.

Maintaining the Equipment

Poorly maintained equipment can also cause pedestrian injuries. Some of these injuries can even occur well beyond the barricades. For example, a truck with poor brakes can lose control and hit pedestrians. Inspect all your machinery, tools and equipment on schedule to prevent such mishaps.

Everybody in the construction area should ensure that these safety measures are in place. Remember that an injured pedestrian will not just go after the contractor; he or she may also sue the owner of the building, the subcontractor, the equipment operators and others depending on the contracts signed before the construction began. If necessary, talk with a law firm, such as Madigan & Scott Inc., for more help with preventing liability.


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