India’s construction industry is the country’s second-largest employer and contributor to economic activity, after agriculture. According to government estimates, it grew by 80 percent in the last four years, from $78 billion in 2013 to approximately $140 billion this year. Thus, a construction site in India also possesses a high level of risk for workers.
But there is a darker side to this explosive growth. For all the big money involved, the sector has scant regard for the safety of those who work in its lowest rungs. Every year, accidents tend to cause hundreds of men and women workers to fall to their deaths.
Additional Read: How do I buy a workmen’s compensation policy?
A total of 1,092 deaths and 377 workers were injured between 2013 and 2016. To sum up, the biggest reason for deaths were- 60% fell from a height. A quarter of all workers died from the collapse of a wall, or of the whole building. As a result, 15% died due to electrocution.
Real-Life Examples of Construction Site Injuries & Deaths of Workers in India
- Deaths happened during the construction of Mumbai airport for two consecutive years (2013 and 2014), which killed a total of nine workers.
- In December last year, as the foundation of the building was being dug, loose mud collapsed and three workers were buried under it.
- Eight laborers from Odisha were injured after an under-construction three-story building partially collapsed in a tech park in Whitefield.
- In October 2016, a five-story building collapsed in Bellandur, killing six laborers and injuring many. Investigations revealed that the property owner had violated the sanctioned plan — which was for ground-plus-two floors – and built additional floors. Though the plot area is 1,900 sqft, the built-up area was 4,300 sqft. They had not tested the soil-bearing capacity properly. According to BBMP officials, when raising columns for the top floors, the property owner had not followed the building code norms.
To save yourself from financial losses arising from scenarios of accidents in your workplace, buy a workmen’s compensation insurance policy and stay hassle-free. At SecureNow, you can compare online insurance quotes and choose the right policy which suits your requirements.
