Worker Killed in Scaffolding Accident at Upper Manhattan Site

A worker died after a construction site accident in Upper Manhattan the afternoon of Thursday, July 12.

According to authorities, the 28-year-old man from Staten Island was hit in the head by a piece of scaffolding while working at the construction site for a 13-story building on Riverside Drive, located along the northern end of Riverside Park in Morningside Heights. The man was rushed by responders to St. Luke’s Hospital, where he was ultimately pronounced dead of his injuries.

The property being built is owned by International House, a nonprofit organization. Investigators did not immediately release information related to why the scaffolding hit the man.

Scaffolding accidents common in New York

Unfortunately, scaffolding accidents happen all the time at New York City construction sites. When they involve falls from large heights or falling pieces of large equipment, they are often fatal.

By law, all construction companies must provide workers with sufficient safety equipment, such as helmets and harnesses, along with training in how to use that equipment and any other tools and equipment that will be used to complete the job. Failure to follow the rules with regard to safety and training at job sites can result in the construction company being held liable for any accidents and resulting injuries that occur onsite.

Even if the accident was not the fault the construction company or any other party, anyone who has been injured in any type of workplace accident has the option of filing a workers’ compensation claim.

To learn more about the best way to proceed if you’ve been injured in a workplace accident, meet with a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia, LLP.