construction accidents

Growing Number of Construction Injuries in Southwest Florida

February 3, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

The booming Southwest Florida economy is thanks in no small part to the housing and construction industries. However, an increasing concern is the growing number of serious and fatal construction accidents that result from such rapid development.

The Palm Beach Post reports the number of serious and fatal construction injuries in South Florida has skyrocketed, up 140 percent in the 7 years since we exited the Great Recession.

More than 100 fatal construction accidents were reported for the first time in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2011 the department reported 42 construction fatalities in Florida. That means that in just seven years, the fatality rate more than doubled. Continue reading ›

Road Construction Injuries in SWFL

June 5, 2019 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

It sometimes seems as though snowbirds are replaced by orange road construction barrels as summer begins in Southwest Florida.

Florida Department of Transportation is preparing to begin significant improvements to Interstate 75 at Corkscrew Road, according to the Naples Daily News.

Meanwhile, Lee County Department of Transportation is widening Burnt Store Road from Diplomat Parkway to Tropicana Parkway in Cape Coral and the City of Fort Myers is working on a beautification project along U.S. 41 between Colonial Boulevard and downtown.

Our car accident lawyers in Fort Myers and Cape Coral know each of these projects increases the risks to motorists and pedestrians.

Report: Construction Worker Injury Risk High for Sprains & Strains

January 29, 2017 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Usually when we hear about construction worker injury in Fort Myers, it’s because of some awful, dramatic accident, such as a roadside collision, major fall or electrocution. However, a new study conducted by The Center for Construction Research and Training indicated that the more pervasive problem for most construction workers is the risk of work-related injury to the joints, nerves, tendons and muscles.

Sprain and strains are a constant source of workers’ compensation claims for construction workers, with study authors opining the estimated loss of wages for private industry construction workers in 2014 was about $46 million. The injuries are caused by a number of elements construction workers face on a regular basis, including:

Excessive exposure to vibration
Bending
Twisting
Awkward work postures
Overwork
Static posture
Poorly-designed tools
Extreme temperatures
Poor work organization (i.e., not enough rest breaks, poor supervision, not enough workers, etc.)
Repetition