Yesterday, a 52-year-old worker fell to his death while working at a construction site located at a Midtown Manhattan high rise building. The male subcontractor was working on the 47th story of a building located at W. 52nd St. between 6th and 7th avenues. He crashed down onto an unforgiving 2nd floor deck at the site. The victim, according to reports, was the owner of Crowne Architectural Systems, one of the companies retained to work at the site. An investigation has ensued. There has been no cause cited for the deadly fall but their focus will zero in on whether the worker was given appropriate fall protection equipment.
Our thoughts and prayers remain with the victim’s family and friends.
Construction site falls are still the leading cause of work related deaths in our country. Sadly, many of these falls can be prevented. Below is a list of essential ways we can all work together to reduce the number of fatal construction site falls.
How Can You Prevent Construction Site Falls?
- Make Sure The Appropriate Equipment Is Available To All Workers: As Construction Accident Lawyers, we frequently meet with workers who have suffered a serious injury as a result of a construction site fall. Far too often these falls are the direct result of the worker not having the right safety equipment. The responsibility rests with employers and general contractors to make sure that fall protection equipment is available to all workers who labor at a dangerous height. The most commonly seen fall protection device is a harness which works in conjunction with an appropriate tie off point at the worksite. This is the best way to insure that a fall does not result in a serious injury or death. Additionally, sound and reliable ladders, work platforms, scaffolds and safety gear must be available and provided to all workers.
- Properly Train All Workers: Many workers are susceptible to serious construction site falls because they have not been exposed to the proper training. Workers need to understand how to safely assemble and use equipment at a construction site. Training will also help workers identify safety issues with the equipment they’re using and the work they are performing. All construction workers should be trained in and be familiar with equipment like ladders, scaffolds, work platforms, harnesses and other fall protection devices as well as common construction site machinery. Day to day, more experienced workers can provide guidance to other workers during on-the-job mentoring and also at toolbox meetings where safety concerns are illuminated.
- Plan Ahead: It sounds simple but a little planning ahead goes a long way. Planning a job so that it can be performed safely is feasible. What is the work involved? What safety equipment is necessary? What are the types of tools needed to safely complete the job?
Construction site accidents occur far too often. Construction falls cause more serious injuries and death than any other profession in New York. Falls at construction sites, however, can be drastically reduced if a few simple but critical steps are employed. Preventing falls can save lives.
Block O’Toole & Murphy has spent decades fighting for injured construction workers and their families. They spend much of their time outside of the courtroom protecting and strengthening the worker safety laws in New York. Their results are among some of the best in New York State every single year. You can contact them for a free consultation by calling 212-736-5300.