Construction equipment and machinery accidents encompass the caught-in/between Fatal Four hazard — machinery entanglement, pinch points, crushing between equipment and a fixed structure — as well as forklift and telehandler accidents, dump truck and cement mixer incidents, and power tool failures. Caught-in/between accidents killed 21 workers in 2024. OSHA's machinery guarding standard (29 CFR 1926.300) requires that all machinery with moving parts that create cutting, shearing, crushing, or pinch-point hazards have adequate guards installed. Lockout/tagout requirements (29 CFR 1926.417) mandate that machinery be de-energized and physically locked out before any maintenance, adjustment, or unjamming operation. Construction equipment accident lawsuits can name multiple defendants: the equipment manufacturer (strict products liability if a guard was missing by design or a safety system failed), the equipment rental company (negligence for supplying poorly maintained or defective equipment), and the general contractor or equipment operator's employer for OSHA safety standard violations.

Forklift and Construction Vehicle Accidents

Forklifts, telescoping boom lifts (telehandlers), and dump trucks operating on construction sites create serious pedestrian safety hazards. OSHA's Powered Industrial Trucks standard for construction (29 CFR 1926.602) requires trained and certified operators, adequate lighting in operating areas, established pedestrian travel paths separate from vehicle traffic, and spotters for vehicles operating in blind areas. When a forklift or construction vehicle strikes a worker because adequate pedestrian separation was not established and a spotter was not deployed, the GC bears primary responsibility under OSHA standards and common-law negligence.