According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), California has a higher fatality rate in construction accidents than any other state. In 2015, there were 937 worker deaths in California, representing 21% of the national total. What is the reason for this disparity?
Several factors contribute to the high fatality rate in California. In this blog, we will discuss this staggering fatality rate.
Construction Accidents and California
Construction workers face many risks on the job. But those in California are more likely to die in an accident than any other state. A recent investigation by NBC Bay Area News found that California construction workers are 3.5 times more likely to die on the job than those in other states.
There are many reasons for this, including the high number of construction projects in California, the large number of undocumented workers, and the lack of safety regulations. In addition, construction workers in California are often not given the proper safety training, and they often work long hours for little pay.
Undocumented Workers
According to a UC Berkeley Labor Center study, undocumented Californian workers are more likely to die in construction accidents than their documented counterparts. The study also found that these workers are often reluctant to report injuries or dangerous working conditions for fear of being deported.
This is troubling, as undocumented workers are essential to the construction industry. They perform the most dangerous and demanding jobs and are often paid less than their documented counterparts. It is time for California to recognize the contributions of undocumented workers and do more to protect their safety on the job.
Lack of Safety Regulations
In the past, California has been a leader in worker safety. However, the state’s lack of safety regulations has cost many workers their lives. For example, in 2014, an entire crew of workers died when buried alive in an avalanche of dirt while working on a freeway project.
Since then, the state has made some progress in safety regulations, but there is still a lot of work to be done. For example, no rules require organizations to offer safety education to their employees. As a result, many employees aren’t safely skilled to cope with risky situations.
Construction accidents in California often lead to fatalities because of the lack of safety regulations. Some people might argue that the workers are more likely to die because they are not adequately trained, but they are more likely to die because there are no safety regulations in place. This is a significant issue because companies can get away with providing minimal safety training and not following any safety protocols.
Steps have been taken by Californian Govt. to ensure the protection of Construction Workers.
California has a number of the stringent employee protection legal guidelines with inside the country. The Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) is accountable for implementing those legal guidelines. DOSH is responsible for inspecting construction sites, investigating workplace accidents, and issuing citations and fines to employers who violate safety laws.
Some of the essential worker safety laws that DOSH enforces are :
- The Cal/OSHA construction safety standards
- The Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP)
- The Scaffold Law
- The Tower Crane Operator Certification law
Further, the California government has been taking several steps to protect the health and safety of construction workers. One recent step was the enactment of Assembly Bill 675, which requires Cal/OSHA to develop new regulations for protecting workers from heat illness. The bill was brought in reaction to the demise of a construction employee exposed to extreme temperatures.
Other recent steps taken by the California government to protect construction workers include the passage of Senate Bill 462, which requires employers to provide training on heat illness prevention, and the launch of the Cal/OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Campaign.
Further, all employers must have a state-mandated workers’ insurance program, also known as Workers’ Compensation.
To know more about workers’ compensation and construction accidents, visit here. If you’ve gotten injured while operating on a construction site, you will be eligible to report a workers’ comp claim and attain the compensation you deserve. It’s essential to speak to an attorney to learn more about your rights and what steps you need to take to file a claim. For more information, please visit our website at Pistiolas Law or give us a call today at (844) 414-1768
