The New York lawyers at Block O’Toole & Murphy are following a developing story in Brooklyn.
A worker was seriously injured after he fell into a 25 foot trench at a Whole Foods store site that was currently under construction. Emergency personnel were on the scene late this morning shortly after the accident. They found the worker lying unconscious at the bottom of the trench when they arrived. The construction worker was rushed from the site in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan. He remained unconscious as he arrived at the trauma center for emergency treatment. His injuries, while serious, are reportedly not life-threatening.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured worker and those that love him.
Construction work is inherently dangerous. In fact, it is the most dangerous profession, by far, in New York. Often, trenches are a necessary component of a construction project, frequently used to install underground infrastructure or utilities. Trenches too can prove dangerous. Trench accidents cause dozens of fatalities and hundreds of serious injuries each year. Trenches accidents are usually associated with a collapse or, in this case, a fall. Trenches represent a major hazard for workers if the trench is not properly protected.
Safety when working around a trench must remain paramount. Workers should be careful to adhere to a safe protocol when working in or near a trench. Some suggestions include:
- Always Avoid Working in an Unprotected Trench
- Make Sure Experienced Engineers Evaluate the Stability and Sloping of a Deep Trench Before and During the Work
- Utilize a Sound Fall Protection System That Will Prevent Workers From Falling Into the Trench
- Have an Effective Exit System Inside the Trench That is not too Physically Taxing
- Pay Attention to Weather Patterns That May Impact the Integrity of a Trench
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will likely lead the investigation into what caused this trench accident. If any of the above suggestions were the cause of this accident then the parties responsible for safety at the jobsite will be held accountable. Still, a company fine will not be of any consolation to the worker if he is seriously injured and unable to return to work. This is one reason why worker safety laws are so critical. Strong worker safety laws, like New York’s Scaffold Law, enable construction workers to recover fair compensation when those that were responsible for jobsite safety failed to provide a worker with a safe place to do their job. They do this by filing a lawsuit against the groups at the project that failed to comply with worker safety laws. The fair compensation that this worker may recover would allow him to pay his medical expenses, be able to pay his bills if he is unable to return to work and a sum of money for his suffering should this accident prove to be a serious one. We will be following this investigation to see what conclusions are reached.
Block O’Toole & Murphy is one of New York’s leading construction accident law firms. The attorneys at the firm have proven that they are a strong voice for injured workers. They have recovered nearly $800,000,000 in verdicts and settlements for their injured clients. To learn more about these committed lawyers you can review the firm website at www.blockotoole.com. You may call them for a free consultation at 212-736-5300.
Source: http://brooklynpaper.com/stories/37/26/dtg-construction-worker-accident-2014-06-27-bk_37_26.html