Regardless of the scale of a construction site, from modest home improvements to the grandest glittering skyscrapers, building and repairing a structure is a dangerous business. Sometimes the danger comes from the very
tools construction workers have to use every day in the practice of their trade. People that work in offices or other jobs rarely have to fear death from their keyboards, monitors, copy machines or water coolers, but construction workers have to be constantly on their guard every moment they operate their
tools, lest an accident occur that leads to serious injury, disability, or even death.
Some of the most dangerous tools on a construction site include:
Power Nailers: Commonly called nail guns, these devices propel pointy metal spikes with great force. This tool perhaps best illustrates the true danger of construction work, as its basic function mimics the nature of a weapon. Keyboards, while they may help cause carpal tunnel, aren’t likely to misfire and shoot themselves through your chest.
Saws: Chainsaws, circular saws,
table saws, are found on virtually every construction site in the United States, and while they all have built-in safety functions, their basic purpose is to separate one piece of material into two or more pieces of material. While that material is usually wood or concrete or Formica, woe to the construction worker that gets an arm or finger or leg in the way.
Air Compressors: While not a tool in and of themselves, they often provide the power for a host of other tools and construction applications. The reality is that air compressors are actually complicated pieces of equipment that can fail catastrophically if they are mishandled, poorly constructed, or worst of all, used in the correct manner. Combine high pressure air with a flawed tank or a leaky hose and you get a dangerous situation indeed.
Backhoes: These pieces of heavy machinery are ubiquitous on most major construction sites, as their versatility and power make them valuable assets in moving and demolishing material. Unfortunately, because they are big, heavy and power, this makes them more likely to cause serious injury to anyone on a construction site, even when they are use properly. Any failure in these complicated machines, from a leaky hydraulic line to a rusty bolt on a chassis or an irresponsible and untrained operator can make a backhoe deadlier than a main battle tank.
The best thing to remember about construction sites that require tools is that they should be respected as anything that could cause serious injury or death should. When careless people operate them, or incompetent site managers fail to advise workers of their presence, accidents occur, people suffer, and lawsuits begin.
The truth is, even in the best situations, accidents still occur. Be aware of your situation, and be careful.