Excavation pits or trenches are common in many a construction site in Chicago. These tend to be clearly demarcated for the safety of the workers and general public who may work or come around the area at any given time. These are typically dug up to become part of the foundation or to erect pylons and related structures to provide stability, plumbing or electricity to a building that’s going up. To this end, they can be up to a dozen feet deep, making them veritable deathtraps or accident scenes that can lead to severe or even permanent injuries.
Are you looking for an injured construction worker law firm in Chicago? Call our injured construction worker attorneys in Illinois NOW at 1 (773) 825-3547 to learn more about your legal options for compensation. We bring to the table more than 70 years of combined legal experience that we’d love to put to work for you. Simply call 1 (773) 825-3547 NOW to receive your FREE and no-obligation legal consultation into the true value of your Chicago construction site injury lawsuit.
Excavation Site Safety
Excavation pits are usually referred to trenches owing to the fact that they are deeper than they are wide, making injuries sustained in them complicated due to the difficulty an injured individual may face getting out or being lifted out of these holes. According to the government safety body OSHA, these trenches or pits should not be greater than fifteen feet when it comes to width, and must have benching, sloping or shoring in order to prevent trench collapse.
Here are some of the negligent scenarios that may cause excavation site injuries:
- Use of defective structural implements such as ramps
- Defective excavation tools
- Exposing construction workers to falling objects or loads
- Failing to note hazardous atmospheres and protecting against them
- Lack of proper access to and from the excavation site
- Failure to provide workers with some form of protection from underground structures
- Crane failure
- Improper control of water accumulation in the excavated site
- Not properly utilizing shield structures to prevent pits from caving in
- Not monitoring structural stability of adjacent pits or trenches
- Sustaining injuries from jackhammers
- Improper judgment of the hazardous nature of conditions surrounding the area
Attorneys for Injured Construction Workers in Chicago – Call Us Now!
Trench or excavation collapse injuries can leave you with severe injuries or a disability. This may permanently change your earning power as you may be forced to go on early retirement or change careers, putting a strain on your family. These accidents are not due to bad luck: a supervisor or contractor either did not follow OSHA regulations, or they failed to monitor variables and act to mitigate any hazardous conditions. To this end, it makes sense to file a construction worker injury lawsuit in Chicago to recover compensation that will go a long way in helping you pay for your medical bills, physical therapy, cost of rehabilitation as well as lost wages, legal fees, punitive damages and so much more. Need to talk to someone? Call 1 (773) 825-3547 NOW to speak with an injured construction worker attorney in Chicago to learn more about your legal options for compensation. We look forward to hearing from you.