New Mexico Construction Industry in High Risk Group for Fatalities

Thousands of New Mexico construction accidents occur every year as workers hurt themselves by falling from scaffolding, or are hurt by defective equipment. These situations can produce severe injuries including head trauma, back and neck injuries, broken bones, paralysis, or even death.

Many employers play a significant role in construction -worker injuries because they ignore safety guidelines, don't take care of their equipment, don't maintain safe scaffolding, and neglect safety training. According to the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, the latest report that analyzed top industries for fatalities from 1998 to 2002 showed that mining, transportation, communication/public utilities, agriculture, and construction made up the highest -risk groups for fatalities in New Mexico.

Because of the high numbers of injuries and deaths that occur in the New Mexico construction industry, the Occupational Health and Safety Bureau (OHSB) was created to evaluate construction sites in order to minimize injuries. The bureau has inspected and will continue to inspect construction sites throughout the state to help pinpoint hazards that could potentially lead to injuries or fatalities. Their goal is to make sure construction workers in New Mexico do not have to work in dangerous environments.

In 2006, the bureau inspected 336 construction sites and cited construction companies for a total of 469 violations. Surprisingly, scaffolding violations accounted for over 35 percent of these citations.

Employers need to do a better job of improving their workers' safety, and workers can also help minimize construction accidents on a New Mexico job sites by following these safety rules:

• Attend your employer's safety education and training sessions
• Wear the proper safety gear for your job
• Use fall- protection, such as a body harness or lanyard, when working at elevated heights
• Wear proper shoes and attire
• Examine your equipment daily
• Inspect ladders before climbing onto them

Following the safety tips outlined above could help prevent injuries and possibly prevent more lives from being lost in a New Mexico construction accident. If you have been injured on the job in an Albuquerque construction accident and you believe it was caused by defective equipment or by the negligence of others, contact a knowledgeable New Mexico accident attorney and get your legal questions answered. Contact the law firm of Keller & Keller today at (505) 938-2300 for a free legal evaluation.

We represent injured victims in the cities of Albuquerque, South Valley, Rio Rancho, Corrales, Bernalillo, Placitas, Tijeras, Los Lunas, Edgewood, Moriarty, Santa Fe, Los Cruces, Roswell, Silver City, Alamagordo, and in the counties of Bernalillo County, Sandoval County, Valencia County, Santa Fe County, Dona Ana County, and Torrance County, and others throughout New Mexico.

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