s

Tag Archives: work accident

September 29, 2021 News
0

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.‎

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Jnzl’s Photos [License]

July 13, 2021 News
0

Injured worker in grocery store machinery accident

New York – Fire Department rescuers responded to a call for a man with his arm caught inside of a ‎meat grinder machine in a horrific accident. Witnesses say that the worker in the meat department was ‎operating the meat grinder when his shirt sleeve became caught by the machine. The machine then ‎pulled the man’s arm into the grinding machine by the entangled shirt. The first responder rescue ‎team had to disassemble the machine in order to extricate the work injury victim while medical ‎responders stabilized his condition to the best of their abilities. Paramedics explain that he suffered a ‎serious arm injury including lacerations of soft tissue and muscle as well as possible nerve damage and ‎laceration of blood vessels. In addition, there was concern regarding broken bones from the accident. ‎The injured accident victim was rushed to the emergency room trauma center for additional care. ‎Investigators are looking into whether proper training and safety gear was provided to the worker for ‎this specific machine. Also, machine maintenance records will need to be reviewed to ensure that ‎proper repairs were performed and preventative maintenance was up-to-date. Trauma and worker’s ‎compensation experts note that negligent maintenance can sometimes lead to similar devastating ‎accidents and injuries for workers. This article shares more details about this horrific work accident.‎

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Chuck D [License]

June 02, 2021 News
0

Police officers injured in Sunset Park elevator accident

New York – Over twenty New York Police Department (NYPD) and federal law enforcement officers ‎were involved in an elevator collapse accident while at work. The on-the-job accident occurred ‎when the team of police officers and personnel were possibly moving equipment into the building. ‎The elevator apparently suffered an equipment malfunction when it suddenly collapsed down to the ‎basement level. Officials will need to look over maintenance records to determine if negligent ‎maintenance could have contributed to this accident with injuries. Extensive safety devices and ‎protocols are in place to ensure that such an elevator accident doesn’t occur. However, proper upkeep ‎is necessary to ensure that public safety is protected. Specifics of injuries suffered during this work ‎accident are unclear but at least one police officer was transported to the emergency department. He ‎was suffering with a back injury and he was taken by ambulance for treatment. Ambulance, paramedic ‎and rescue personnel rushed to the scene and described the events. Concern has been raised about ‎additional spinal injuries or occult fractures and even internal bleeding and injuries. Accident specialists ‎explain that an accident at work already raises significant concerns but an injured worker in law ‎enforcement includes additional problems that can add to injury and disability. The weapons and ‎extensive equipment that is carried by a cop or other enforcement agent can cause injuries and even ‎difficulty in functioning when trying to return to work. See this article for ‎additional information about this work related elevator accident.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Bob B. Brown [License]‎

March 30, 2021 News
0

Elevator accident kills assistant superintendent in Brooklyn

New York – An assistant superintendent building worker was crushed to death after being dragged into some moving elevator equipment. The elevator accident occurred after the maintenance worker was attempting to retrieve something that had fallen down into the elevator shaft. He was caught by the elevator cables as they moved along the elevator car above. Building safety specialists say that safety protocols and mechanisms should have been in place to prevent such a work accident. Some workplace safety advocates have asked why the elevator maintenance room was not properly secured with guards in place to prevent a person from getting caught up in the ropes, gears and motor. In addition, concern has arisen as to whether or not negligent maintenance or even faulty manufacturing could have contributed to such a fatal accident. Heavy machinery such as elevators require constant proper maintenance and inspections. Work accidents are a big concern for union leaders and work safety personnel. A worker’s comp injury can come about from all sorts of dangerous conditions found in the average workplace according to specialists. This can range from a car accident, to a slip and fall accident or even falling debris that can cause a head injury, internal bleeding or broken bone. An accident with injuries can easily lead to a permanent disability, sick leave and even wrongful death. You can find more details about this work accident in this article.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Jeremy Noble [License]

November 27, 2019 News
0

Work injuries at site of construction collapse

New York – A scaffold collapse in Manhattan left two workers injured. The wounded workmen fell from the scaffolding as it collapsed according to reports. They note that one of the victims suffered serious injuries during the work accident. The other accident victim’s injuries were still being assessed but appear to be less life threatening. It is unclear whether the injuries were caused by the fall from a height or rather from being crushed under the falling construction debris. Investigators were also looking in to the cause of the construction collapse to determine if safety precautions were in place. Worker safety is supposed to be the highest priority for employers of construction and renovation companies. However, some employers have been known to take shortcuts in order to save time and money in safety equipment and training. It appears that there was an issue with the building and inadequate maintenance of the scaffolding according to reports. Improper construction or negligent maintenance, especially at a dangerous construction zone, can place the safety, health and lives of workers and bystanders at risk. Workplace accidents are a common problem, especially at construction sites that work with heavy equipment, tall ladders and scaffolds as well as electrical tools such as drills, saws and hydraulic devices. There are also complicating factors such as poor lighting, uneven or broken sidewalks and pavement, and unsteady flooring and walls or even railings and stairs. These hazardous conditions can lead to slip and fall accidents, broken bones, neck and back injuries, heady injury or even wrongful death. Read up more about this construction accident here.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Richard Munckton [License]

October 25, 2019 News
0

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.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Jose Saez [License]

September 18, 2019 News
0

New York City Police accident causes injuries in Brooklyn

New York – Borough Park in Brooklyn was the scene of a New York Police Department (NYPD) car crash involving one of their police cruisers. The police car accident occurred while the police officers were responding to an emergency call for help. Reports show that a second vehicle slammed into the officer’s vehicle during the late evening collision. The police car jumped the curb and then struck two pedestrians and finally hit the storefront of a nearby building. The cause of the on-the-job accident is unclear but specialists note that the officers’ injuries should fall under their worker’s compensation insurance. Workers, especially those at high risk for getting injured at work, are dependent on their worker’s comp insurance provider to help them. Meanwhile, the other injured pedestrian patients in this police accident are possibly covered by a car insurance policy. However, it can sometimes be unclear when it comes to a pedestrian accident. In the case of a pedestrian struck, the injury victim may be denied care from multiple sources. Unfortunately, some injury victims find it difficult to obtain their healthcare services from the insurance companies. Many seek the assistance of a personal injury lawyer or workman’s comp attorney for assistance in getting their injuries cared for and covered. For further details about this work accident with injuries please see this article.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Jason Lawrence [License]

September 28, 2018 News
0

Traumatic nerve injury pain relief study

New York – Doctors have long struggled to adequately treat pain related to traumatic nerve injury. A recent study into the effectiveness of pain medications for various sources of pain looked into this further. They researched pain medications such as pregabalin, often marketed as Lyrica, that some doctors have tried using for patients who suffered an traumatic injury involving a nerve. Unfortunately, the study showed that this type of medication is not ineffective in treating this type of pain. These could be patients suffering with a laceration or torn nerve, radiculopathy from a neck and back injury, brachial plexopathy or the like. The causes of such nerve injuries often include motor vehicle accident, slip and fall injury, work accident, broken bones and fractures or assault. However, the medication is approved by the FDA for patients suffering from pain from a spinal cord injury. The doctors researching this medication did note that patients with chronic post-surgical pain may benefit from the use of the drug. This is good news for patients trying to get relief from chronic pain after surgery whether its related to routine complications or surgical error. You can read more about this injury and chronic pain research here.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Zdenko Zivkovic [License]

January 01, 2018 News
0

New York City subway accident injures worker

New York – Wednesday’s subway train collision occurred on the tracks that run between Queens and Manhattan. The train accident involved two trains that were apparently not carrying any passengers. Metropolitan Transportation Authority workers were aboard the subways at the time of the crash and at least one worker was injured as a result. One report shows that the trains involved in the collision were actually work trains, carrying workmen, supplies and tools. The workers were down there doing repair and construction work on the line according to union officials. However, it is still unknown what caused the work accident. That cause is under investigation by transportation safety officials but has many riders concerned. The heavy traffic and speeding trains in the system that was designed so long ago is a recipe for disaster according to some watch groups. They note that negligent maintenance and delayed repairs are all too common, placing the public at risk for injury and death. These problems, some say, are the root cause of the plethora of subway injuries and accidents in the city. Safety advocates are demanding further evaluation of the safety of the mass transit system, with an eye on specific known problem areas. These include lines with prior collisions, near misses and heavy traffic as well as dangerous curves. In addition, slip and fall hazards, platforms and stairs that have a history of trip and fall injury as well as areas of increased smoke and fumes build-up should be evaluated and corrected. You can see more about last week’s work train accident here.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: Mark Mitchell [License]

November 27, 2017 News
0

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.

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo Credit: stevemcarthur [License]