Government researchers report that there were 2,210 cases of traumatic brain injuries from 2003 to 2010 in the construction industry in which the worker died. Minnesota construction workers should know that new safety helmets are being designed by construction companies so that they can have improved protection from injuries sustained in falls.
During the period studied, construction workers who were 65 years of age or older died more often than all other construction workers from traumatic brain injuries with falls as the most common cause. Structural steel and iron workers had the highest rates of fatal TBIs.
Construction helmets have traditionally been brimmed and equipped with suspension bands on the inside that distributes the weight of the helmet on a worker’s head as well as the force of an impact the helmet may sustain. There is generally an inch of space between the shell of the helmet and the worker’s head that reduces the likelihood of an impact being applied directly to the skull.
Safety hat designs that are used by mountain climbers and people who participate in other similar sports are being adapted by construction companies to provide protection for their workers. The companies assert that the hats are more likely to remain on a worker’s head in an emergency.
Individuals who sustain injuries on the job because of compromised workplace safety may have legal recourse. An attorney may seek to hold an employer financially responsible if a work accident resulted from any federal health or safety regulation violations.