Shaw Cowart represents accident injury victims in Austin and the surrounding areas

Construction Accident Lawyers Austin: Heavy Equipment Injury Claims

The massive machine that was supposed to make construction work possible instead became the instrument of your injury—crushing, striking, or trapping you with forces your body couldn’t withstand. Heavy equipment accidents on construction sites cause some of the most severe injuries workers face, and Austin’s constant construction means excavators, bulldozers, loaders, and other heavy machinery operate throughout the city daily. Our construction accident lawyers Austin have extensive experience with heavy equipment accident cases, understanding both the devastating injuries these machines cause and the safety failures that allow preventable accidents. The Austin construction accident attorneys at Shaw Cowart fight aggressively for workers injured by heavy equipment, pursuing equipment owners, operators, and employers whose negligence puts workers at risk. More information here

Heavy Equipment Hazards

Heavy construction equipment combines massive weight with powerful capabilities that overwhelm the human body when contact occurs. Excavators, bulldozers, backhoes, loaders, rollers, and similar equipment create hazards through their size, power, and limited operator visibility. Our Austin construction injury lawyers know that heavy equipment accidents are preventable through proper training, maintenance, and operational procedures. The construction accident attorneys Austin at Shaw Cowart investigate equipment accidents thoroughly to identify exactly how safety systems failed and who bears responsibility. More here: https://www.carabinshaw.com/austin-road-construction-accident-experienced-injury-attorneys-c.html

The Power of Heavy Equipment

Heavy construction equipment generates forces far beyond anything workers can survive. Excavator buckets crush with hundreds of thousands of pounds of force. Track-mounted equipment weighing tens of tons cannot be stopped once they contact workers. The disparity between machine power and human fragility makes any contact potentially fatal.

Types of Heavy Equipment Accidents

Heavy equipment accidents occur through several mechanisms.

Run-Over Accidents

Workers struck by moving equipment—particularly during backing operations—suffer crushing injuries as machines drive over them. Limited visibility from operator stations means workers in blind spots are invisible to operators.

Struck-By Accidents

Equipment components—buckets, blades, booms, and counterweights—strike workers who enter work zones or swing radius areas. These strikes occur with tremendous force.

Caught-In/Between

Workers caught between equipment and fixed objects, between equipment components, or in equipment mechanisms suffer crushing and amputation injuries.

Equipment Rollovers

Equipment operating on slopes, uneven ground, or with unbalanced loads can roll over, crushing operators and nearby workers.

Mechanical Failures

Brake failures, hydraulic failures, steering failures, and structural failures cause loss of control with unpredictable results.

Attachment Failures

Buckets, forks, and other attachments that detach or fail can fall on workers or cause equipment instability.

Common Equipment Types and Hazards

Different equipment creates different hazard profiles.

Excavators

Excavators swing continuously during operation, creating strike hazards in a full circle around the machine. Bucket operations create crushing hazards. Workers enter buckets for access—an extremely dangerous practice.

Bulldozers

Limited visibility, high tracks, and powerful blades create run-over and crushing hazards. Workers assume operators see them when they often cannot.

Backhoes

Swing hazards, crushing hazards from buckets, and run-over hazards during travel make backhoes particularly dangerous in congested work areas.

Loaders

Front loaders have significant front blind spots. Raised loads reduce visibility further. Travel speed increases run-over severity.

Rollers and Compactors

Designed to compress material, rollers cause fatal crushing injuries when they contact workers. Their slow speed creates false security—workers don’t fear machines that appear to move slowly.

Forklifts

While smaller than other equipment, forklifts cause more construction deaths than most larger machines. Their speed, frequent operation in congested areas, and tippy characteristics create constant hazards.

Causes of Equipment Accidents

Equipment accidents result from identifiable failures.

Inadequate Training

Operators without proper training lack skills to operate safely. Workers without hazard awareness training enter equipment work zones unknowingly.

Poor Visibility

Equipment blind spots hide workers from operators. Mirrors, cameras, and spotters should compensate for blind spots but are often inadequate or unused.

Lack of Communication

Equipment operation near workers requires constant communication. When operators don’t know workers are present, accidents follow.

Inadequate Maintenance

Brake failures, hydraulic leaks, and mechanical breakdowns cause loss of control. Regular maintenance should identify and correct problems before failures occur.

Improper Use

Using equipment beyond design limits, on inappropriate terrain, or for unintended purposes creates accident conditions.

Speed

Equipment operated too fast for conditions gives operators insufficient time to react to hazards and workers insufficient time to escape.

Equipment Safety Requirements

OSHA requires specific protections for heavy equipment operations.

Qualified Operators

Only trained, competent operators should operate heavy equipment. Employers must verify operator qualifications.

Rollover Protection

Equipment must have rollover protective structures (ROPS) and seatbelts that operators must use.

Backup Alarms

Equipment with obstructed rear views must have backup alarms or use spotters during reversing operations.

Equipment Inspections

Daily inspections should identify defects before operation. Defective equipment must be removed from service.

Liability in Equipment Accidents

Multiple parties may share responsibility for equipment accidents.

Equipment Operators

Operators who operate negligently—without proper lookout, at excessive speed, or in violation of safety rules—bear direct liability.

Employers

Employers who fail to train operators, fail to maintain equipment, or pressure operators to skip safety procedures share responsibility.

General Contractors

General contractors controlling sites bear responsibility for equipment operations on their sites, including coordination between equipment and workers.

Equipment Owners

Companies owning equipment bear responsibility for maintenance and for ensuring qualified operators.

Manufacturers

Equipment defects causing accidents create manufacturer liability under product liability law.

Fighting for Equipment Accident Victims

Heavy equipment accidents are preventable through proper training, maintenance, communication, and safety procedures. When these systems fail and workers are crushed, struck, or run over, they deserve full compensation. Our construction accident lawyers Austin at Shaw Cowart pursue all responsible parties in heavy equipment cases.

If you were injured in a heavy equipment accident in Austin, contact us today. We’ll investigate the accident and fight for the compensation you deserve.