Eye injuries are a common type of accident at construction sites today. According to the Center to Protect Worker’s Rights (CPWR), construction has a much higher rate of high injuries than any other industry. When an eye accident occurs, it can be difficult to determine liability for the accident. A good start is to understand an employer’s responsibility in preventing these accidents in the first place.
OSHA Guidelines
According to OSHA, employers must provide employees with the following:
Proper training to prevent all types of accidents, including eye injuries
Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including goggles and face shields
PPE should be approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
PPE should fit properly and be appropriate for the specific job
Emergency measures if an accident does occur, such as eyewash stations and first aid instructions
Regular retraining, to ensure procedures are known and understood by all workers
Because eye injuries can often be catastrophic, resulting in substantial medical bills and possible vision loss, determining liability in the accident is an important step. If the employer is held accountable for the accident, through negligence, carelessness or faulty equipment, the company may be responsible for compensating the injured individual.
When someone is injured at work, it is important to have legal representation to determine liability for the accident and pursue legal compensation when it is warranted. Eye injuries can be serious and even permanent – if they were preventable; they are that much more tragic. By determining liability in a construction accident, the injured worker can often receive necessary compensation for lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering.
