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Tag Archives: construction accident

September 29, 2021 News
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Can construction companies convince New York to repeal essential work safety law?‎

New York – Labor laws are designed and passed to protect workers from work accident injuries. The ‎New York State Labor Law 240 is one such law that was written to prevent work-related injury by ‎requiring basic safety protocols and equipment for at-risk employees. Specifically, this so-called ‎‎“scaffold law” was an answer to a well-known and specific problem of construction accidents due to ‎hazardous conditions at work. However, some companies within the construction industry are ‎attempting to have lawmakers cancel the law in an effort for them to make more money. The goal and ‎specifics of the law were to require employers in construction companies to provide safety training ‎and equipment, such as harnesses, hard hat helmets, protective goggles and the like. The most ‎pressing of safety issues in construction sites is that of trip and fall accidents, especially a fall from a ‎height at work. These types of work accidents are common, especially in the dangerous confines of an ‎active construction zone.‎

When an employee reports that he fell at work or suffered some kind of on-the-job injury, the ‎employer should immediately investigate what went wrong that led to the work injury and what must ‎be done to prevent something similar in the future. Unfortunately, some bosses just care about ‎making money and simply refuse to buy expensive safety equipment. Others half-heartedly provide ‎some equipment but don’t provide the essential required training in the use and inspection of the ‎equipment. Many workers have complained that improper or negligent maintenance of safety ‎equipment is an even bigger problem than not providing the safety gear. They note that higher levels ‎of risk in dangerous situations may be taken while relying on the protection gear to operate properly. ‎However, when the gear breaks or malfunctions, the consequences can be devastating, including slip ‎and falls, head injury, spinal injury, nerve damage and even wrongful death. Read more about this ‎scaffold safety law as well as the attempts to cancel it here.‎

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November 30, 2020 News
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Scaffolding collapse injures workers on West Side of Manhattan

New York – Two window washers were injured on the job while working on the side of a skyscraper at Hudson Yards. Reports show that they were working on a scaffold when it apparently gave way and collapsed with the workers inside. According to responders the accident victims fell along with the scaffolding rig approximately twenty feet down and suffered a fall accident with injuries. It does not appear that the men slipped out of the rig but it is unclear if that is due to safety harness equipment that is standard issue for dangerous work at a height. Safety inspectors will also need to make sure that the workers were properly trained for the job and in the use of all legally required safety equipment and procedures. In addition, it is necessary to inspect the maintenance records for the scaffold equipment as well as the harnesses and safety devices. Negligent maintenance can easily lead to a scaffold collapse or construction accident and therefore proper maintenance records are needed in such situations. One injured worker was taken in serious condition to the trauma room of a close hospital while the other injury victim was taken to the emergency room in stable condition, both with unknown wounds. The work accident may be covered by worker’s compensation insurance coverage, however, this would require further investigation. This article explains more about this work injury.

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July 19, 2020 News
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New York City construction accident injures and kills workers

New York – Several workers were injured on the job when a construction scaffolding accident sent debris slamming down onto the men. One of the injured workers suffered fatal injuries and died from his wounds at the hospital after doctors attempted to resuscitate him. The other work injury victims were also treated for their accident injuries according to authorities. The construction collapse seems to have occurred when a section of a wall or fencing fell from the rooftop of a building that was undergoing repairs. The facade had sections of scaffolding rigged to it when the falling debris hit the scaffold equipment and caused an equipment failure. Specifics of the mechanism of injury are still unclear. However, it is believed that either the men fell from the scaffold or that the falling metal, brick and concrete sections collapsed and crushed the workers. Further investigations into the cause and nature of this workplace accident with injuries will be necessary to prevent further wrongful death cases. At least two of the injured workmen have been noted to be in serious condition, with possible head injury, broken bones and possible internal organ damage and bleeding. Internal bleeding can sometimes be difficult to diagnose initially. Read up more about this work accident here.

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March 18, 2020 News
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Wall collapse kills construction worker and injured another victim

New York – Queens, NY was the scene of a construction accident recently. The wall collapse occurred in an area where demolition is being planned to clear the zone for new construction. Reports show that there were construction work vehicles or trucks in the area but it was unclear if active work was underway during the incident. The accident caused one construction worker to be crushed under the falling debris. That man suffered serious accident injuries and ended up dying at the hospital after doctors were unable to revive him. Another accident victim suffered serious leg injuries from debris and bricks that apparently hit him. The full details of his injuries are unclear at this point. However, trauma specialists explain that a crush injury of the legs like this can cause broken bones or fractures, soft tissue damage, injuries or lacerations to blood vessels such as arteries and veins but can also lead to nerve damage and long-term disability. A crush injury of other parts of the body can cause traumatic brain injury, internal organ damage or lacerations and a collapsed lung, known as a pneumothorax. Find out further details about this wall collapse accident here.

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October 25, 2019 News
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Construction work accident in Lower East Side of Manhattan

New York – A wall collapsed at a construction site this week. The construction accident left one injured worker fighting for his life after he suffered crush injuries. He had to be extricated from under the broken and fallen debris. Responders say that he had a leg injury with possible broken bones or crush fractures. Doctors in the hospital have reported that the injury victim is still in serious condition. A second construction worker suffered fatal injuries after he was trapped under the collapsed wall. It is believed that the wounded man sustained a serious head injury with traumatic brain injury. However, he may have also suffered internal injuries with internal bleeding.

Investigators have been researching the cause of the construction collapse. They will need to determine if negligence was involved, specifically to investigate the use of proper safety equipment. Employers are required to provide their employees with safety equipment such as hardhat helmets, goggle eye protection, harnesses and reinforcement scaffolding when needed. In addition, they are supposed to provide extensive safety training to their workers in order to prevent such work accidents. This particular building was undergoing renovations at the time of the collapse. It is not fully clear but it appears that the workmen were attempting to reinforce the wall at the time of the wall caved in. however, it is unclear why the workers were standing right underneath an unstable wall. You can find out more about this construction accident here.

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March 11, 2019 News
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Construction accident injured worker in Nassau County

New York – A construction worker suffered traumatic amputations of his legs during a recent road construction accident. The injury victim was apparently hit by a falling object that made him fall into a hole during the job site accident. The work site was in the street near an intersection where heavy construction vehicles, including a backhoe, were being used to dig up a trench. The heavy object that fell and severed the hardhat worker’s legs was a metal plate according to witnesses. He then fell approximately 10 feet into a hole. First responders applied tourniquets and tried to control the bleeding. He was treated for shock and rushed to the hospital. Doctors were working on saving the injured man’s life while also trying to save his legs. Workplace safety experts will need to investigate the circumstances of this work injury to determine if proper safety equipment and protocols were in place or if there was even negligence involved. This article and video share further details about this workplace injury.

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December 05, 2018 News
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Harlem construction accident injures workers with falling crane

New York – Two construction workers were injured when a mini crane fell from the side of a building that they were working on. The falling crane accident occurred when one of the workers was operating the crane but was apparently not trained to do so. The crane was lifting a heavy glass panel when it fell forward and off the side of the open floor. It rolled over during the accident and fell several stories onto the ground below. The crane collapse left two ironworkers injured, including the man operating the machine. According to reports, the crane was not properly secured to the work surface as is required by safety operating guidelines. In addition, the construction company operating the device didn’t have the required safety permit and is under investigation. Supervisors for the construction employer have been arrested and are being charged for assault due to possible negligence that led to serious injuries of the workers.

Hospital officials report that the workers suffered life threatening injuries. These include a head injury with traumatic brain injury that left one of the workers fighting for his life. The other injury victim suffered spinal injuries. The neck and back injury can possibly leave the workman paralyzed and disabled. Investigations continue into the specifics of this accident and the following of safety regulations at the construction site. See this article for more about the roll over work site accident and investigation.

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September 18, 2018 News
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Increased construction injuries and deaths in New York City

New York – Construction accidents with injuries or deaths are on the rise according to statistics released by city officials. The Building Department says that there have been more reported deaths from construction accidents when comparing the current year of 2018 with reports from last year. Public safety experts blame the spike on the increased amount of building construction and renovations. Some have pointed out that the city safety inspectors haven’t been keeping up with the necessary inspections to ensure safety of workers and the public. Others believe that contractors and builders have taken advantage of the commonplace construction environment and have become lax about following safety guidelines. Workers sometimes complain about dangerous work conditions, including improper or lack of safety devices such as helmets, railings and harnesses. Even when equipment is available, workmen have noted negligent maintenance or lack of training provided to hardhats. They worry that profits make be a more important factor for employers than the safety of workers or the public. This situation can lead to a widespread hazardous condition and can easily contribute to a work injury or even wrongful death. Accidents include building collapse, falling debris, bone fractures and trip and fall accidents. See this article to understand more about the increased accidents.

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May 28, 2018 News
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One worker injured, another killed in Midtown Manhattan construction accident

New York – Two workers were crushed in a construction accident this week. One was a security guard who was killed and the other a construction worker who suffered on-the-job injuries when an unstable section of glass fell on them. The scene of the accident was on a loading dock of a construction site on West 57th Street in Manhattan. The piece of glass was standing up and was supposed to be installed into a tall skyscraper office building. For an unknown reason, the heavy glass panel tipped over and collapsed onto the two workers below. The crush injuries suffered by the security guard left him with multiple and severe wounds, including internal injuries and possibly a traumatic brain injury. He went into cardiac arrest and was declared dead by doctors in the hospital shortly after. The second injured worker was also rushed from the scene to the emergency room and treated for several injuries, including broken bones with a foot injury. The type of fracture may require surgery to repair the damage according to doctors. The New York City building’s department shut down the construction site and issued a safety violation to owner of the site. Additional investigation into the cause of the construction collapse will be needed to determine if negligence was involved. This includes determining if all equipment and construction debris was properly secured to prevent slipping and falling. See this article for more details.

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November 27, 2017 News
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Downtown Manhattan scaffold accident traps and injures five pedestrians

New York – High winds swept through the city, causing a construction scaffolding collapse. The fallen scaffold debris crashed down onto five pedestrians who were walking along the sidewalk below. Two of the construction accident victims were trapped and needed to be extricated by bystanders and emergency responders. All of the injury victims were treated and taken to local New York City hospitals for evaluation and treatment. Reported injuries ranged from a head injury to broken bones to a leg injury and possible spinal injury. Outraged community leaders have pointed out that scaffold accidents and injuries should be prevented by forcing building owners and construction companies to remove unnecessary and dangerous equipment. They note that many scaffoldings have been sitting around for many years despite no active work being done on the building above. They warn that leaving these structures, that by nature are supposed to be temporary, is a dangerous practice and leaves a hazardous condition for bystanders. Authorities with the building department explain that current laws and ordinances require owners to inspect their scaffolds every day but some activists doubt that this is actually done. They feel that owners and employers are guilty of negligence that leads to such work accidents. They demand that the city inspectors deal with this problem to prevent further injury or wrongful death, claiming that ignoring the problem is also negligent. See this article for more on this scaffolding pedestrian accident.

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