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San Antonio Scaffold Injury Lawyer: Scaffolding Accidents and Your Legal Rights
San Antonio workplace injury lawyers handle scaffold accident cases that cause some of the most severe injuries in the construction industry. Scaffolding failures send workers plummeting to the ground or crush them under collapsed structures. A workplace injury lawyer in San Antonio understands the regulations governing scaffold use and how violations cause preventable accidents. San Antonio workplace injury attorneys at J.A. Davis & Associates thoroughly investigate scaffold accidents to identify all responsible parties. Workplace injury lawyers in San Antonio fight for maximum compensation when negligent scaffold assembly, maintenance, or use injures workers.
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Scaffolds provide elevated work platforms essential for construction, maintenance, and industrial operations. Workers rely on these temporary structures to support their weight and provide a stable footing at heights. When scaffolds fail, workers have no opportunity to protect themselves from falls or collapse. The consequences range from broken bones to death.
OSHA estimates that scaffold accidents cause dozens of deaths and thousands of injuries every year. Most of these incidents are preventable through proper scaffold design, assembly, inspection, and use. The frequency of scaffold accidents reflects widespread failure to follow established safety protocols.
Types of Scaffold Accidents
Scaffold collapse occurs when structural members fail or connections give way. Overloading scaffolds beyond their rated capacity causes failures. Improper assembly that omits bracing, base plates, or other components compromises structural integrity. Environmental factors like wind, ice, and ground settling can trigger collapses. When scaffolds fail, everyone on or near the structure faces injury.
Falls from scaffolds happen when workers slip, trip, or lose balance on elevated platforms. Missing guardrails allow workers to fall off edges. Gaps in planking let workers fall through openings. Slippery surfaces from rain, ice, or spilled materials cause workers to lose footing. Inadequate access, requiring workers to climb frame members rather than use proper ladders, contributes to falls.
Struck-by accidents involve objects falling from scaffolds or scaffolding components falling on workers. Tools and materials dropped from scaffold platforms injure workers below. Scaffold parts that come loose during assembly or disassembly can strike workers. Debris from work performed on scaffolds rains down on unprotected areas.
Scaffold tip-over happens when unstable scaffolds lean and fall. Improperly placed base supports on uneven ground create instability. Failure to secure scaffolds to structures allows movement. Overloading one side of a scaffold shifts the center of gravity. Workers riding scaffolds while they are moved risk tip-over accidents.
OSHA Scaffold Safety Requirements
OSHA regulations establish detailed requirements for scaffold construction, use, and inspection. These standards apply to all scaffold types used in construction and general industry. Violations of OSHA scaffold requirements support negligence claims against employers.
Capacity requirements mandate that scaffolds support at least four times the maximum intended load. This safety factor accounts for dynamic forces from workers moving and working. Scaffolds loaded beyond their ratings pose a risk of structural failure.
Fall protection requirements require guardrails, personal fall arrest systems, or other fall protection when workers work at heights of 10 feet or more on scaffolds. The specific requirements vary by scaffold type, but the obligation to protect workers from falls is universal.
Platform requirements address scaffold flooring that workers stand on. Platforms must be fully planked without gaps that could allow falls. Planks must be secured against movement. Platform surfaces must provide adequate traction.
Access requirements ensure workers can safely get on and off scaffolds. Proper ladders, stairs, or ramps must be provided. Climbing frame members, instead of proper access points, create fall hazards.
Inspection requirements mandate examination of scaffolds by competent persons before each work shift and after any event that could affect structural integrity. Defective scaffolds must be tagged and removed from service until repaired.
Who Bears Liability for Scaffold Accidents
Multiple parties may bear responsibility when scaffold accidents injure workers. Identifying all liable parties maximizes potential recovery.
Employers who provide scaffolds or direct workers to use them bear primary responsibility for safety. Employers must ensure scaffolds are properly erected, inspected, and maintained. They must train workers on scaffold hazards and safe practices.
General contractors often control overall job site safety, including scaffold use. Their failure to enforce safety requirements or address known hazards creates liability. General contractors cannot escape responsibility by delegating scaffold duties to subcontractors.
Scaffold erection contractors who assemble scaffolds improperly cause accidents through their negligence. Professional scaffold companies owe duties to erect structures that meet safety standards. Their errors endanger every worker who subsequently uses the scaffold.
Scaffold manufacturers face strict liability when defective components cause failures. Manufacturing defects in tubes, clamps, planks, and other components can cause catastrophic accidents. Design defects that make scaffolds inherently unsafe also support product liability claims.
Property owners may bear liability when their negligence contributes to scaffold accidents. Site conditions affecting scaffold stability, failure to provide adequate anchor points, or interference with scaffold operations can create owner liability.
Compensation for Scaffold Accident Injuries
Scaffold accidents cause injuries ranging from fractures and lacerations to paralysis and death. Medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages can be substantial. Workers’ compensation provides limited benefits, but third-party claims against contractors, manufacturers, and property owners can recover full damages.
Contact J.A. Davis & Associates at 210-732-1062 to discuss your scaffold accident with a San Antonio workplace injury lawyer. We investigate these complex cases thoroughly and pursue every responsible party.