Shaw Cowart represents accident injury victims in Austin and the surrounding areas
Construction Injury Lawyers Austin: Struck-By Accident Claims
You never saw it coming—a tool falling from above, a load swinging from a crane, or a vehicle backing toward you without warning. Struck-by accidents are one of OSHA’s “Fatal Four” construction hazards, causing approximately 10% of construction worker fatalities each year. Austin’s busy construction sites feature constant movement of materials, equipment, and vehicles that create struck-by hazards for workers at every level. Our construction injury lawyers Austin have represented numerous victims of struck-by accidents, understanding both the devastating injuries these incidents cause and the safety failures that allow them. The Austin construction accident attorneys at Shaw Cowart fight for workers injured by falling objects, swinging loads, and moving equipment, pursuing every responsible party.
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The Struck-By Hazard
Construction sites are dynamic environments where materials move constantly—vertically and horizontally, by crane and by hand, on vehicles and on foot. This constant movement creates ever-present struck-by hazards. Our Austin construction accident lawyers know that proper safety management should control these hazards through exclusion zones, secured materials, and communication protocols. The construction accident attorneys Austin at Shaw Cowart investigate struck-by accidents to determine exactly what safety failures allowed preventable injuries to occur. More here: https://www.carabinshaw.com/austin-road-construction-accident-experienced-injury-attorneys-c.html
Types of Struck-By Accidents
OSHA categorizes struck-by hazards into four types: struck-by flying objects, struck-by falling objects, struck-by swinging objects, and struck-by rolling objects. Each type requires specific protective measures.
Struck-By Falling Objects
Objects falling from height cause devastating injuries.
Tools and Materials
Tools dropped from elevated work areas, materials knocked from scaffolds and platforms, and debris falling during demolition strike workers below. Even small objects become dangerous projectiles when falling from height.
Building Components
Structural elements, panels, and fixtures being installed can fall when improperly secured or when connections fail. These heavy components cause fatal injuries.
Overhead Work
Any time work occurs overhead, workers below face falling object hazards. Proper barricading should exclude workers from areas beneath overhead work.
Hard Hat Limitations
Hard hats provide essential protection but have limits. Heavy objects falling from significant heights overwhelm hard hat protection. Hard hats don’t protect faces, necks, or bodies.
Struck-By Swinging Objects
Swinging loads and materials present serious hazards.
Crane Loads
Loads suspended from cranes swing when accelerated, decelerated, or affected by wind. Workers in swing zones can be struck with tremendous force. Proper rigging and load control minimize swing.
Materials Being Moved
Long materials like pipes, lumber, and steel being carried or lifted swing unexpectedly, striking workers who thought they were at safe distances.
Mechanical Equipment
Excavator buckets, backhoe arms, and similar equipment swing through areas where workers may be present.
Struck-By Moving Vehicles and Equipment
Construction vehicles and equipment strike workers constantly.
Backing Vehicles
Trucks, heavy equipment, and vehicles backing up strike workers in blind spots. Spotters should guide backing operations, but this protection is often skipped.
Mobile Equipment
Forklifts, skid steers, and other mobile equipment operating in work areas strike workers who enter travel paths or whom operators fail to see.
Delivery Vehicles
Vehicles delivering materials to job sites strike workers in staging areas and travel ways.
Struck-By Flying Objects
Objects propelled through the air create struck-by hazards.
Power Tool Debris
Saws, grinders, and nail guns propel fragments at high velocity. Eye protection and face shields provide essential protection.
Pressurized Systems
Pneumatic and hydraulic system failures propel hoses and fittings with dangerous force.
Explosive Events
Compressed gas cylinder failures, battery explosions, and similar events propel fragments and equipment.
Struck-By Injuries
Struck-by accidents cause severe injuries.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Objects striking heads cause skull fractures, brain contusions, and fatal brain injuries. Even with hard hats, significant impacts cause serious brain trauma.
Crushing Injuries
Heavy objects and equipment crush limbs and bodies, causing amputations, internal injuries, and fatal trauma.
Spinal Injuries
Impacts to backs and necks damage spines, causing paralysis and permanent disability.
Fractures
Struck-by impacts break bones throughout the body, from facial fractures to broken legs.
Fatal Injuries
Struck-by accidents kill approximately 75 construction workers annually in the United States.
Preventing Struck-By Accidents
Struck-by hazards are controllable through proper safety measures.
Secured Materials
Materials must be secured against falling, shifting, and rolling. Proper stacking, strapping, and storage prevent uncontrolled movement.
Toeboards and Debris Nets
Toeboards on elevated platforms prevent objects from rolling off. Debris nets catch falling materials.
Barricaded Work Zones
Areas beneath overhead work and within swing radius of crane operations should be barricaded to exclude workers.
Spotters for Vehicle Operations
Spotters guiding backing and maneuvering operations prevent workers from being struck by vehicles they can’t see.
Communication Protocols
Clear communication about equipment movement, load handling, and overhead work alerts workers to hazards.
Liability in Struck-By Cases
Multiple parties may be responsible for struck-by accidents.
Employers
Employers who fail to secure materials, fail to barricade hazard zones, or fail to provide spotters bear direct responsibility.
General Contractors
General contractors controlling sites bear responsibility for site-wide safety including material storage, equipment operation protocols, and overhead work protection.
Equipment Operators
Operators who strike workers through negligent operation share liability for injuries.
Other Contractors
Contractors whose workers drop objects or create hazards bear responsibility for injuries to workers of other companies.
Equipment Manufacturers
Defective equipment contributing to struck-by accidents creates manufacturer liability.
Fighting for Struck-By Victims
Struck-by accidents are preventable through basic safety measures—securing materials, barricading hazard zones, and using spotters. When these protections fail and workers are injured, they deserve full compensation. Our construction injury lawyers Austin at Shaw Cowart pursue all responsible parties in struck-by cases.
If you were injured in a struck-by accident on an Austin construction site, contact us today. We’ll investigate the accident and fight for the compensation you deserve.