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Tag Archives: hazardous condition

September 25, 2015 News
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Dog attack injure man on his way to work in the Bronx

New York – Two pit bull dogs attacked a man while he walked along a city street in Belmont. The assault was captured on video when bystanders watched in horror and some tried to help the victim. The assault victim explained that he was walking along and saw the pair of dogs walking without a leash. He said that he was not afraid and thought they were friendly, even reaching out his hand as if to say hello. According to some reports, the owner of the dogs began yelling at the man and that’s when the dog mauling began. The pit bulls jumped on top of the man and repeatedly attacked and bit him all over his body. He suffered extensive injuries, including dog bites to his face, chest and both arms. Trauma surgeons later had to repair the man’s injured ear, which had been amputated. After many attempts by bystanders, the man was finally rescued but the dogs apparently attacked some of the other people at the scene as well.

New York City residents were in an uproar over the dangerous incident, saying that police and city officials haven’t done enough to ensure their safety. Note has been made that the 911 dispatcher needed to be told and retold the location of the dog attack many times before actually responding. A recording of the 911 call reveals that the caller, while understandably upset, had clearly reported the address of the emergency call over and over again. However, police and rescuers appear to have been delayed due to the dispatcher re-asking the same questions. Ultimately, it was bystanders who had to step in and come to the victim’s aid since police had not arrived more quickly. In addition, some public activists have noted that the owner of these dogs has been reported in the past for similar problems. They complain that city officials have not done enough to remove the animals from her charge, creating a very serious and hazardous condition for everyone else. The dangerous dog owner was arrested and charges assessed. You can find out more about this assault and her arrest here.

Illustrative Photo Credit: maplegirlie [License]

September 13, 2015 News
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New York City wall collapsed during deadly construction accident

New York – One workman was killed and two more workers were injured in a construction accident in Brooklyn a couple of weeks ago. The family of the killed worker report that he had often complained about the hazardous condition in and around the work site. The building was undergoing renovations and complaints have arisen surrounding the structural safety prior to the partial building collapse. The specific wall collapsed on top of the three construction workers while they were apparently not properly protected according to accepted safety standards and regulations. The injured victims were extricated by fire fighters and emergency rescuers, then rushed to the emergency room. Unfortunately, one of the workers died of multiple crush wounds with severe internal injuries. Doctors in the hospital explain that they performed all possible procedures but were unable to save his life. The remaining injury victims were treated for various work-related injuries and are expected to survive.

Construction safety specialists note that this accident is far from being the first in the city. They point to several other construction and work accidents and injuries, as discussed here. Activists warn that employers and contractors must be held accountable for not adhering to safety regulations and placing the health and lives of workers and bystanders at risk. You can also read about a recent elevator accident that killed a worker who fell several stories down an elevator shaft and died.

Illustrative Photo Credit: Martin Pettitt [License]

March 30, 2015 News
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Hazardous condition blamed for building explosion in Manhattan

New York – Records illustrate that a building fire and explosion in the East Village area of New York City may have been due to illegal work on the gas line that left a dangerous gas leak. The building was flagged as having a possible natural gas leak in August 2014 after a meter reading worker smelled gas. The gas company report that they sent a team of employees to the scene and found several gas leaks and an overall dangerous situation after seeing that the original gas line had been illegally tapped into several times. The illegal work was possibly done by the owner of the building or with his knowledge. There was a restaurant in the building that was authorized to have a natural gas hook up to the company. However, the other residents apparently were illegally and dangerously connected to the same gas line according to accounts. The gas company then turned off service but allowed the owner of the building to correct the negligent maintenance work. The service to the building was restored after the gas company re-inspected the situation and found it to be safe. Now, public safety activists are questioning if the repair work was done properly and according to safety code. Some suspect that the illegal work may have been repeated but further inspection is necessary to determine fault. Nearby construction work was underway and Consolidated Edison inspectors were at the scene only approximately one hour earlier, reportedly having determined that the construction and renovation work failed their safety standards. It is unclear if that work was in any way related to the gas fire.

The fire has been blamed on a natural gas explosion according to New York City Fire Department (FDNY) officials. The original explosion demolished 3 buildings in total, including at least one restaurant and multiple apartments. Yesterday, the remains of two of the deadly accident victims were found at the scene. At least twenty-two people were injured in the blast, with many of them suffering burns, broken bones, lacerations as well as internal injuries. See this article for more details about the building accident.

Illustrative photo credit: cisc1970 [License]

November 09, 2014 News
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Dangerous construction accidents in New York investigated

New York – Construction injuries have, unfortunately, become an expected reality in the industry, according to work safety advocates. They say that employers sometimes shirk their responsibilities by not following safety codes and create a hazardous condition for their workers. One hardhat construction worker suffered a fall injury in the World Trade Center site when he fell from a scaffold to the ground, nearly 20 feet below. Witnesses contend that the work accident occurred because the shoring equipment was unstable and no ladder was provided by the construction company. They note that the scaffold tipped over and collapsed, causing the worker to suffer a spinal injury with back pain, fractures and a permanent disability. The man’s injuries also included broken ribs and a head injury according to doctors. Accusations against various construction companies and contractors have since arisen, claiming that employers have tried to cover up accidents and injuries. Workers have reported that bosses have ordered the clean-up of the site of a construction injury in order to hide evidence of negligence. In addition, investigations have shown that employers have been known to avoid reporting workplace accidents, with as many as 34 serious on-the-job injuries going unreported to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the federal agency tasked with ensuring work safety. These accidents have been documented to have caused hips fractures, broken bones as well as neck and back injury. Worksite safety activists explain that these employers may have been trying to avoid negligence lawsuits and worker’s compensation injury claims while ignoring the damage they caused to the lives and families of the injured workers. Read details about the investigations into the unreported occupational worker’s comp injuries here.

Illustrative photo by Saberwolf116 at en.wikipedia [CC-BY-3.0], from Wikimedia Commons

August 31, 2014 News
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Dangerous cars sold after flood damage

A used car dealer was arrested for illegally selling flood damaged cars after last year’s hurricane. The cars, believed to have been sold to New York and New Jersey residents, were severely damaged by flood waters and were declared “totaled” by their insurance companies. However, this did not stop the owner of the used car seller from selling the hazardous vehicles as regular, safe cars. Car safety experts explain that the salt and water mixture together with the sand and debris from the flood waters can have dangerous effects on the cars, leading to a car fire and/or a car accident. Experts have expressed concern regarding the dangers created by the negligent sale of the potentially deadly vehicles that has created a hazardous condition for everyone on the road. According to officials, the damaged cars were given false identities when the seller created fake ownership titles.

The safety, legal and moral implications of creating the false paperwork apparently did not bother the owner of the car salespeople. They have been arrested and charged with various crimes that endanger public safety. In the meantime, the cars that have been identified as having potential to create an accident, fire or other hazard, have been taken off of the road. Experts say that these vehicles must not be driven and are useful only for spare parts. They warn that use of the vehicles can otherwise lead to injury or wrongful death. Industry specialists explain that electrical components can short circuit or overheat and moving parts may malfunction. Other concerns involve internal rust damage that can lead to a dangerous leak. Investigators will need to continue researching the sale of the dangerous vehicles in order to determine if there are any other cars involved. As of now, no injuries or car crash incidents have been reported involving these vehicles. A New York City accident lawyer noted that if anyone was injured by one of these cars, they have the right to speak to an attorney to decide on the best course of action. More on this investigation of dangerous car sales can be found here.

Illustrative photo by Andrea Booher (This image is from the FEMA Photo Library.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

June 25, 2014 News
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Construction accident injures bystander on Manhattan street

New York – A woman was injured in a construction accident on a busy sidewalk in Manhattan. According to video evidence close to the accident scene, a woman bystander was struck in the leg by a saw blade that had flown off of a piece of construction machinery. It is still unclear how the accident occurred, with some witnesses reporting that the equipment broke while the saw was cutting a section of the roadway. The victim suffered a laceration and leg injury and then fell during the accident. Workers and other bystanders reported that the entire incident took place so quickly that it left everyone in shock. Some activists believe that the accident possibly occurred due to negligence. They attribute the accident and injuries to a combination of negligent maintenance of the machines along with lack of appropriate closing of the sidewalk and street. Officials say that the street was being dug up in order to fix a broken water main. However, safety codes normally say that dangerous construction sites must be sectioned off from pedestrian and vehicle traffic, as necessary, in order to prevent injury or death. Leaving a hazardous condition open to innocent bystanders See more about the work site accident along with a video here.

Illustrative photo by Ben Franske (Own work) [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons

May 07, 2014 News
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Queens subway accident injures at least 19 passengers

New York – A train accident occurred on Friday, as the F train made its way toward Manhattan and then Brooklyn. The train derailed in Queens, NY when investigators say that a rail broke. Several subway cars collided into each other and slammed into the walls, injuring at least 19 victims and trapping approximately 1,000 passengers in the tunnels. Reports have indicated that the broken train rail may have just been installed as recently as March. It was apparently put in to replace an older rail that had a crack in it. The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) engineering and safety experts are trying to determine how many other subway rails have been replaced from the same batch as this one. Transportation safety activists have expressed concern regarding the subway system’s safety record keeping and organization, worrying if negligence maintenance may have played a role in this train crash. Some have contended that several dangers and hazardous conditions have been ignored in the past by engineers and the administration.

Experts say that the broken rail that caused the collision needs to be examined by unbiased engineers in order to determine the cause. They say that defective design, inferior manufacturing materials or techniques or even faulty installation of the tracks could have led to the accident. Meanwhile, time is of the essence since there are possibly many more of these train tracks from the same batch that have been installed throughout the MTA system. To prevent further injuries or deaths, advocates have demanded that the administration urgently investigate the matter and stop using the potentially faulty rails pending a full analysis. Read more about the subway crash and current inquiry here.

Illustrative photo by Metropolitan Transportation Authority of the State of New York (NYCT_3396Uploaded by tm) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

March 17, 2014 News
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Harlem, New York gas explosion collapses two buildings

New York – A massive explosion destroyed two buildings last week in the Harlem section of Manhattan. The accident killed eight people and left more than sixty injured victims in its wake, according to police. The cause of the explosion is under investigation but current evidence points towards a gas leak as the origin of the sudden blast. Current inspections by Con Edison, the Fire Department of New York and building department are focusing on possible sources of a gas leak and to determine if proper safety measures were taken to protect the public from danger. Most importantly, safety analysts are concerned about the possibility of repeat explosions from similar hazardous conditions. This explosion has raised concerns regarding the old age and safety of many of New York City’s gas pipes. Many of the pipes and equipment are well more than 100 years old and may have corroded or are otherwise leaking according to experts. Some have asserted that negligent maintenance is abound and will be responsible for many more injuries and deaths if something is not done soon to rectify the dangerous situation. They say that gas meters, connectors and main pipes were installed in the late 1800’s and require close watch, regular maintenance or prompt replacement. Records show that some sections of the gas main servicing the collapsed buildings were placed in 1887. Read more about this gas explosion and injury victim identification here.

Photo by Adnan Islam (Flickr: IMG_6862) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

February 25, 2014 News
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Multiple victims in Long Island carbon monoxide poisoning incident

New York – A restaurant in a Long Island, NY shopping mall was the scene of a deadly carbon monoxide poisoning incident three days ago. Hospital officials confirmed that the manager of the restaurant was killed by the gas leak that had filled the basement of the business. Investigators report that the cause of the accidental poisoning was from a leaking flue pipe from the building’s water heater. Unfortunately, the hazardous condition was not discovered until the victim was found unconscious in the basement and more than two dozen other became sick during the incident. Citizens who were eating there, workers and emergency responders were amongst the sick victims that required hospitalization following their exposure to the chemical gas. Emergency department staff successfully treated most of the ill patients but were unable to revive the unconscious worker, who died in the hospital. Emergency room experts explain that carbon monoxide gas is odorless and colorless but can be detected with a relatively inexpensive detector that can be purchased in most hardware stores. However, current construction, building and fire codes do not require these devices in a location where people don’t sleep. This has some public safety advocates distressed at the lack of safety in this regard. They contend that a simple and inexpensive piece of equipment could have easily warned potential victims of the danger. Despite this, businesses are required to properly maintain all equipment in their building in order to prevent dangerous situations such as this. A report shows that the restaurant was issued a ticket with possible fine for faulty equipment. Maintenance specialists say that this could have occurred due to improper maintenance of equipment in the building. Read more about the hazardous condition that led to the death of the worker in this article.

Illustrative photo by Mondberg (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

January 06, 2014 News
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Winter airplane accident at John F Kennedy Airport

New York – The snow and ice from the recent winter storm are being blamed for an airplane accident yesterday. The plane slipped on ice and rain puddles when it was taxiing along the taxi roadway after having landed only minutes earlier. Reports show that the aircraft was exiting the runway and had just entered the taxiway. Passengers reported that the flight had been overall normal until the pilot got on the public address system to announce the accident. Some were worried about what had happened but officials stated that no injuries were reported by passengers or staff. Records for the flight note that there were over people on the plane at the time of the mishap, including 35 passengers. An investigation was opened into the plane accident to determine why it skidded. Questions remained as to what efforts were made to maintain the airport road such as deicing, plowing the snow and safety inspection. Experts say that these are standard operating procedures in dealing with snow, ice and rain storms, as part of routine safety maintenance. If proper measures were not taken to avoid danger for the airplanes and their passengers, it would have been expected that airport officials would have closed the affected parts of the airport pending further maintenance or repairs of any hazardous condition. Further investigation of the incident is pending to determine if negligent maintenance was at fault for causing the accident. Additionally, it would be necessary to determine how fast the plane was travelling at the time it slipped off the road. Speeds are often reduced during inclement weather in order to prevent accidents or injuries. Transportation safety specialists explain that the potential for serious injury or death in a crash like this warrants a full investigation to prevent another incident in the future. See this article for more about this airport accident.

Photo by U.S. Park Rescue Technician/Paramedic Sgt. Klebaner [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons