On Monday August 3, 2020, an unidentified construction worker was seriously injured when he fell through a plank and into the cellar of an Upper East Side townhouse. Workers were demolishing part of the interior at 1083 Fifth Ave. at approximately 8:00 a.m. when the incident occurred. The worker was taken to a nearby hospital; according to the FDNY, his injuries are serious but not life-threatening.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the worker who was seriously injured in this accident; we hope he makes a quick and full recovery.
The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) is investigating this incident. According to a DOB spokesman, there may be enforcement actions taken based on the results of the investigation. Although we cannot say for sure what caused the accident until a thorough investigation is conducted, we do know that many times these accidents can be avoided with the proper safety training and instruction. In the last two months alone, we have seen two fall accidents occur at construction sites. On July 6, 2020, a Long Island construction worker was seriously injured when he fell 25 feet into a large foundation pit in Glen Head, New York. On June 24th, three workers were hurt after high winds caused roof trusses to collapse in Jefferson County, New York, causing one worker to fall 40 feet and sustain serious injuries.
Construction workers are exposed to many risks on a daily basis, one of them being fall hazards. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Instructor Guide, a fall hazard is defined as anything at your work site that could cause you to lose your balance or lose bodily support and result in a fall.
Workplace falls can be caused by the following:
- Ladders
- Roofs
- Scaffolding
- Harnesses
- Temporary Flooring
The OSHA Instructor Guide also states what employers are required to do to protect their workers from falls:
- Provide fall protection
- Ensure proper scaffold construction
- Ensure safe ladder use and condition
- Conduct work site maintenance
- Provide training to employees on how to protect themselves
Since the guide states that any walking or working surface can be a potential fall hazard, employers must make sure safety procedures are always adhered to in order to have the best chance of avoiding accidents.
Since 2012, we have recovered more results exceeding $1,000,000 than any other law firm and are well-equipped to handle construction accident cases.
Some of our notable construction results include:
- $12,000,000 settlement for a Local 147 tunnel worker who suffered both internal and external injuries when he fell 40 feet into a ventilation shaft while working on a subway extension project
- $11,000,000 settlement for a Brooklyn construction worker who was left permanently disabled after falling through an unsecured temporary cover in the floor
- $6,793,881 verdict for a union laborer who fell during construction of a water treatment plant, causing internal wounds and a herniated disc.
If you or someone you know has suffered from accident on the job, please call us directly at 212-736-5300 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free, no-obligation legal consultation.