Saturday, January 17, 2015

HIGHWAY AND ROAD WORKERS FACE HIGH RATES OF INJURY. WEARING REFLECTIVE CLOTHING WILL NOT PROTECT THE WORKERS FROM NEGLIGENT OR IMPAIRED RIVERS.



HIGHWAY AND ROAD WORKERS FACE HIGH RATES OF INJURY.  WEARING REFLECTIVE CLOTHING WILL NOT PROTECT THE WORKERS FROM NEGLIGENT OR IMPAIRED RIVERS.

Road workers are at high risk for on-the-job injuries in New York and elsewhere.  In the United States, 20,000 road workers are injured annually in work zones, according to the Federal Highway Administration statistics. 

There were more than 1,200 on-the-job fatalities among road workers from 2009 to 2013 across the United States.  Injuries and fatalities to road workers comprise more than 1.5 percent of total work-related injuries in the United States.

Road construction work zones are often the site of accidents that cause injuries to workers. In New York, there were 7,186 traffic collisions in work zones in 2012, according to the New York State Department of Transportation.  These accidents caused 3,497 injuries and 221 deaths.

Work zone accidents may be caused by negligent drivers, including drivers who are impaired, fatigued or failing to follow the speed limit or obey other traffic laws in work zones. 

New York State law provides for enhanced penalties for speeding in a work zone, including a possible prison sentence when an accident results. Work zone accidents may also be caused by inadequate warning signs or another failure to follow proper safety procedures on the employer’s part.

Road workers who have suffered on-the-job injuries may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. In some cases, a personal injury lawsuit is another possible option to obtain compensation.