When Pedestrians Are Injured from Unsafe Construction Sites
Pedestrians face a wide variety of dangerous obstacles every day. Even though municipalities take great care in constructing sidewalks and plotting out safe paths for pedestrians, the amount of hazards they can encounter is staggering. From inconsiderate cars to beaten down sidewalks, most of these obstacles are, tragically, to be expected. But one of the leading causes of injuries pedestrians can endure is fairly unexpected: construction sites.
Construction sites are often large and can, despite safety precautions, spill over to pathways and sidewalks. Some of the most common injuries that pedestrians endure from these sites are:
Falling Objects
Most construction workers do their job at fairly high heights. Tools, parts, and other objects are meant to be secured and stowed while they're working. These objects can fall unexpectedly and impact those below with with a severe injury.
Open Manholes
Constructions sites can affect pedestrians on ground level as well. By leaving an opening in the ground uncovered, a pedestrian could fall in and injure themselves.
Lack of Proper Signage
When work is in progress, a construction site is supposed to be barricaded and closed off with various warning signs in place. This is so that a pedestrian does not simply wander into a construction area that requires a hard hat. By not having these warning signs in place, someone could unwittingly end up in a dangerous area.
Uninspected Equipment
The heavy duty equipment used on construction sites are capable of intense damage. By leaving these tools, vehicles, and building materials uninspected, the site runs the risk of failed equipment causing an injury.
Construction sites have the responsibility to keep an area safe for workers and pedestrians all the same. When a site is poorly managed, the lack of proper safety precautions can injure or kill a passerby. If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligence of a construction site, contact a personal injury lawyer who could help.