Construction Sites Pose Many Risks to Pedestrians

Everyone knows that construction sites pose many risks to construction workers. What’s less commonly understood is that these sites can also pose a risk to pedestrians who need to walk past them. Here’s an overview of some of the risks that construction sites pose to pedestrians.

Falling Objects 

In cities, many construction projects involve tall buildings. This always creates a risk of falling objects. Objects can fall from cranes, from scaffolding or from the buildings themselves, onto people below. And of course, the level of danger depends on the material involved, and the height it fell from. A falling paintbrush can ruin your outfit, but falling bricks can cause serious injury or death. Contractors usually take precautions, but accidents do happen. Always be careful around construction sites.

Watch Your Step

While some objects can fall on you, other objects can make you fall. While you keep an eye out for possible falling debris, also look ahead of you. Construction materials and equipment are sometimes left where pedestrians walk. These projects also sometimes involve laying pipes or wires under the roads or sidewalks, creating dangerous holes and gaps. A trip and fall can be very dangerous, especially if you step into a deep hole and injure your leg. Some falls can cause serious head injuries as well.

Construction Vehicles

Construction sites usually involve the use of special construction vehicles, also referred to as “heavy  equipment,” in addition to cars and trucks. These special vehicles include forklifts, backhoes, cement trucks, cranes, bulldozers, dump trucks, and more. As with any vehicle, each of these can pose a risk to civilians, especially when their operators are paying all their attention to their particular immediate objective and not watching for pedestrians. When space on a construction site is cramped, an operator may briefly maneuver onto a sidewalk. This is where risk is at its height. As a pedestrian, keep your eyes and ears open around sites that may feature these vehicles. If you have your earbuds in and music blaring, you may miss an imminent danger.

Get the compensation you deserve for your construction accident injury in New Jersey

To learn more about your rights to compensation for injuries you sustained in a construction-related accident, call Gelman Gelman Wiskow & McCarthy LLC at 862-205-5125 or contact us online to schedule your one-hour free initial consultation. There are no up-front costs for you, and you pay no fees unless we win your case. We proudly serve clients throughout New Jersey from our offices in Elmwood Park, Bridgewater, Hackensack, Morristown and Roseland.