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As Construction Soars in New York, So Do Workplace Accidents

New York City has seen a significant boom in new construction over the past several years. With it has come a notable increase in construction accidents.

According to a report from the city’s Buildings Department, construction deaths doubled and injuries increased by 17 percent in the first seven months of the year. There were eight deaths in the first seven months, compared to just four in the same time period last year. In addition, 469 people were injured in 457 different workplace accidents.

Construction is the most dangerous job in the city, according to federal injury and death statistics. In fact, construction workers accounted for 37.5 percent of work-related deaths in the city in 2016. The most common examples of construction accidents include falling debris, scaffolding accidents and falls from heights.

Some specific examples of construction accidents pointed to in the DOB report include:

  • A construction worker fell 40 feet to the ground at a construction site in Brooklyn in June, suffering a broken shoulder and back injuries. Investigators said the cause of the accident was poorly built framework.
  • A construction worker accidentally drilled a screw into his hand at an office building in New York’s meatpacking district.
  • A pipe support strap fell and hit a worker in the head.
  • A piece of scaffolding hit a worker on the head at the International House in Morningside Heights.
  • A live wire electrocuted a construction worker in West Village in July. The worker died of the injuries.

The DOB continues to issue record amounts of construction permits. In 2017, it hit its all-time high of 168,243, and that number is expected to have increased for 2018. The DOB and the Mayor’s office approved requirements for construction workers to log more training hours, but it remains to be seen if this will help curb the incidence of construction accidents moving forward.

For more information on the legal steps you can take if you’ve been injured in a workplace accident, speak with an experienced personal injury attorney at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia, LLP.