Sacramento Construction Site Accident Lawyers
Scaffold Accident Injury Attorneys in Northern California

Founded in 1993, Demas & Rosenthal is the law firm that believes in getting to know each and every client on a personal level to successfully represent Northern California accident and injury victims. Sacramento attorneys, John Demas and David Rosenthal, started their firm with the vision of achieving justice and obtaining maximum results for serious injury victims. With extensive experience in all types of serious personal injury and wrongful death cases, Demas & Rosenthal will not quit until your case is settled.

According to OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Heath Administrations), close to 2.3 million construction employees work on scaffolding on a regular basis, and approximately 4,500 construction workers suffer serious or fatal injuries each year due to improper scaffolding safety precautions and employer negligence. These accidents still occur even though many state and federal regulations, as well as industry standards, require owners, general contractors and sub-contractors to implement a wide variety of safety measures.

There are three basic types of scaffolds:

1. Supported Scaffolds - one or more platforms supported by rigid, load-bearing members, such as poles, legs, frames, outriggers, etc.
2. Suspended Scaffolds - one or more platforms suspended by ropes or other non-rigid, overhead support.
3. Other scaffolds, principally manlifts, personnel hoists, etc., which are sometimes thought of as vehicles or machinery, but can be regarded as another type of supported scaffold.

Some of the hazards construction workers are subjected to while working on scaffolds include:

• Falls from elevation due to lack of fall protection.
• Collapse of the scaffold caused by instability or overloading.
• Being struck by falling tools, work materials or debris.
• Electrocution, principally due to proximity of the scaffold to overhead power lines.

Standards have been established for scaffolds, and employers must adhere to the mandated requirements. Some of the most important safety requirements are as follows:

• Each scaffold and scaffolding component must support, without failure, its own weight and at least 4 times the maximum intended load applied or transmitted to it.
• A qualified person must design the scaffolds, and they must be loaded in accordance with that design.
• Scaffolds and scaffolding components must not be loaded in excess of their maximum intended loads or rated capacities, whichever is less.
• All suspension scaffold support devices, such as outrigger beams, cornice hooks, and parapet clamps, must rest on surfaces capable of supporting at least 4 times the load imposed on them.
• These support devices must be secured against movement by tiebacks installed at right angles to the face of the building or structure or by opposing angle tiebacks installed and secured to a structurally sound point of anchorage.
• No more than 2 employees should occupy suspension scaffolds designed for a working load of 500 pounds.
• No more than 3 employees should occupy suspension scaffolds designed for a working load of 750 pounds.

Even though strict regulations have been established, many employers continue to act negligently and put their employees at risk in order to speed up the construction or cut costs. Construction workers trust that their employers have taken the utmost care in presenting a safe and secure work environment. However, negligent companies, contractors, sub-contractors and equipment manufacturers continue to disregard the safety of their employees.

You need the representation of aggressive, experienced trial attorneys to ensure you are fairly compensated for your suffering. The Law Offices of Demas and Rosenthal are ready to take on your scaffold accident case and will not quit until you get the settlement you deserve.