Building to LEED standards can pose new risks for construction workers

A study that appeared in the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management examined green construction and found some additional risk to construction workers on projects built to achieve the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

The study found that LEED project workers face new, high-risk tasks not found in traditional projects, such as constructing atria and installing solar panels or vegetated roofs.

Workers on these projects suffer a 24% increase in falls to lower levels during roof work, which researchers attributed to the installation of solar panels, and a few other risks.

Click here to learn more about the risks faced by construction workers on LEED projects. BD+C