Construction workers make up 17.5% of the overall work related deaths per year. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the top four causes of worker fatalities with regard to construction-related accidents cause 410 deaths per year. OSHA has determined that the “Fatal Four” accounted for most of the construction worker deaths in 2011. (Statistics for 2012 are not yet available.) The Fatal Four are falls, struck-by (falling) objects, electrocutions and caught-in/between accidents.
Falls were by far the highest cause of fatalities at 35%, or 251 deaths, in 2011, as compared to struck-by objects (10%), electrocutions (9%) and caught-in/between accidents (3%). A construction worker can fall from work devices, among other things, like ladders, scaffolds, unsafe flooring, beams, walls, planks, roofs, lifts and elevators. The key to limiting these statistics and preserving healthy work sites remains awareness, education and a focus on safety being the top priority at every jobsite. Unfortunately there remains a long way to go.
OSHA – – to their credit – – is working towards raising awareness around the industry and enforcing safety standards in an attempt to lower the amount of accidents caused by the Fatal Four and other construction-related accidents.
If you are injured in a construction-related accident in New York, you are afforded certain rights and legal protections. You need to retain lawyers that are experienced and knowledgeable in the New York State Labor Law and Industrial Code of the State of New York. The construction accident lawyers at Block O’Toole & Murphy fight to protect the rights of those injured, or tragically killed, in construction-related accidents. We provide the care, attention and legal expertise necessary for any case. Our attorneys not only have extensive knowledge and experience in the New York State Labor Law, but are at the forefront of the laws’ changes and developments. If a worker is injured or killed, the law permits injured workers or family members of the deceased worker to seek compensation for their significant losses, including medical expenses, wages lost, and past and future pain and suffering. Block O’Toole & Murphy works to maximize our clients’ recovery under the law and we are committed to helping injured construction workers and their families during a very difficult and stressful time. You can learn more about the firm at www.blockotoole.com. For a free consultation, please contact us at 212-736-5300.