20 Construction Fails Shared By the Workers Who Caused Them

Daniel Bonfiglio Published 08/06/2024 in facepalm

Construction sure is a whole lot safer than it used to be, but it's still one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States.

These 21 construction workers shared various fails at sites near them, from frustratingly shoddy work to full-scale disasters.

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1.
“Project that failed near me. In your opinion, what went wrong?”
2.
“I don't post this lightly. My friend was here working with the crane contractor. Boise Airport, last night. 3 guys crushed. 9 more hurt bad. It can still happen. Be safe.”
3.
“How to fail a structural inspections due to a plumber.”
4.
“New construction epic fail.”
5.
6.
7.
“Wall collapse that had buried a co-worker under 4 feet of brick. Where you see Yellow is Vapor Barrier and Mesh is where I was five minutes before. Thankfully we were all able to act fast and help find our brother under the rubble.”
8.
“Wind last night blew over the wood framing just enough for the bricks to collapse!”
9.
Small bridge failure. “Not a single piece of rebar. Old pipes and railroad ties with a bar and some plow blades for good measure.”
10.
“The Biggest Construction Mistake!”
11.
“I’m a GC, came back to this disaster from plumber.”
12.
“Text conversation from hvac sub lead and I (GC PM). I’m just trying to help you while you have guys onsite so you don’t fail inspection and get a call back.”
13.
A drilling machine owned by a private company working on the Istanbul Airport metro line first pierced the ceiling and then the tracks. A disaster was narrowly averted with the train coming to a stop in time.
14.
“I'm supposed to grade this plot around a newly built house. Customer failed to mention the SWAMP that has resulted after the snow melting.”
15.
Transfer slab collapsed as they were pouring concrete in a highrise building near Gallery Square.
16.
“The recently built, expanded Panama Canal locks failed.”
17.
“Crane failure in high winds.”
18.
“House Built in 1945, garage ceiling collapsing.”
19.
Mt. Waverley excavation collapse.
20.
Electrician fail.

1.
“Project that failed near me. In your opinion, what went wrong?”
2.
“I don't post this lightly. My friend was here working with the crane contractor. Boise Airport, last night. 3 guys crushed. 9 more hurt bad. It can still happen. Be safe.”
3.
“How to fail a structural inspections due to a plumber.”
4.
“New construction epic fail.”
5.
6.
7.
“Wall collapse that had buried a co-worker under 4 feet of brick. Where you see Yellow is Vapor Barrier and Mesh is where I was five minutes before. Thankfully we were all able to act fast and help find our brother under the rubble.”
8.
“Wind last night blew over the wood framing just enough for the bricks to collapse!”
9.
Small bridge failure. “Not a single piece of rebar. Old pipes and railroad ties with a bar and some plow blades for good measure.”
10.
“The Biggest Construction Mistake!”
11.
“I’m a GC, came back to this disaster from plumber.”
12.
“Text conversation from hvac sub lead and I (GC PM). I’m just trying to help you while you have guys onsite so you don’t fail inspection and get a call back.”
13.
A drilling machine owned by a private company working on the Istanbul Airport metro line first pierced the ceiling and then the tracks. A disaster was narrowly averted with the train coming to a stop in time.
14.
“I'm supposed to grade this plot around a newly built house. Customer failed to mention the SWAMP that has resulted after the snow melting.”
15.
Transfer slab collapsed as they were pouring concrete in a highrise building near Gallery Square.
16.
“The recently built, expanded Panama Canal locks failed.”
17.
“Crane failure in high winds.”
18.
“House Built in 1945, garage ceiling collapsing.”
19.
Mt. Waverley excavation collapse.
20.
Electrician fail.