New York Construction Workers Face Dangers On a Daily Basis
In January, we reported about a construction worker who suffered a head injury on the job. Unfortunately, a fatal construction accident last week in New York, once again raises awareness of the dangers construction workers face on a daily basis.
Our Binghamton construction accident lawyer know that being seriously injured in a construction accident can cause permanent disabilities, rob you of your livelihood and cause tremendous financial burdens. However, we also know that construction workers are protected under the law if reckless or negligent actions lead to on-the-job injuries. Contacting an experienced New York construction accident attorney if you have been injured on the job can help you obtain the compensation you need.
According to the Wall Street Journal, one worker died and two others were seriously injured when the building they were working on collapsed. The workers were tearing down a warehouse during a Columbia University expansion project in Harlem. Although the collapse is still being investigated, preliminary findings suggest the workers cut a structural beam supporting the two-story warehouse “causing steel beams, bricks and reinforced concrete to collapse onto the workers and bury them in debris,” according to the article.
According to news reports, New York City’s Buildings Department issued a stop-work order on March 5, for the construction company’s failure to notify the city of the start of demolition work and for its lack of worker safety harnesses. The order was rescinded two days later, and work was resumed.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was passed to prevent workers from being killed or seriously harmed at work. Under the act, workers are entitled to working conditions that do not pose a risk of serious harm, and all workers have the right to a safe workplace. Specifically, the law requires employers to provide their employees with working conditions that are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to its employees.
OSHA refers to construction’s “fatal four” as the leading cause of death for construction workers: falls, electrocution, struck by object, and caught–in/between. According to government statistics, these four types of accidents were responsible for nearly three out of five (57%) construction worker deaths in 2010. OSHA states that eliminating the fatal four would save 431 workers’ lives in America every year.
About Scott C. Gottlieb, Injury Law Attorney
Scott C. Gottlieb, Injury Law Attorney, handles all types of personal injury and motor vehicle accident cases, including cases involving cars, trucks, motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles and boats. The firm also represents clients in actions for dog bites, hunting accidents, brain injuries, construction accidents, fall down injuries and insurance settlements. The firm regularly employs accident reconstruction experts, investigators, photographers and economists to assist in evaluating and preparing personal injury cases. In 2008, the firm reached the $100-million mark in combined lifetime verdicts and settlements.
The firm features offices in Binghamton, Elmira, Rochester, Syracuse and Watertown. For more information, call (800) TALK-LAW or use the firm’s online contact form.
