New York Construction Accident & Safety News

Great news from Newsday.com regarding new fines for those who violate the construction laws regarding crane operation. Many construction accidents have occurred recently in New York with cranes, and the new legislation is a big step forward in thwarting any future accidents from happening.

Criminal and civil penalties will increase for compromising David Paterson.

The law effective Nov. 1 makes altering licensing exams a felony. It also imposes fines of up to $5,000 for inspectors who falsify reports and permanently revokes their licenses.

The measure follows a spike in construction accidents in New York City, where crane accidents have killed at least nine people since March.

Findlaw has a great explanation of scaffold injuries and how the New York Labor law applies to occurences of scaffold injuries. Findlaw points out:

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has estimated that 65% of construction employees work on scaffolds frequently, so it is not surprising that some of the most common accidents at construction sites involve scaffolds or other types of lifts, hoists, or ladders.

These accidents are typically the most serious in terms of severity of injuries, which can result from construction workers’ falls from defective, improperly installed, or unreasonably safe scaffold equipment; an employer’s failure to ensure the use of protective equipment; and by objects falling onto workers from scaffolds, lifts, and ladders.

New York Labor Law Section 240

New York Labor Law section 240, often called the “Scaffold Law,” was designed to protect construction workers from the extraordinary risks they face in working on and around scaffolds and other lift devices at construction sites. Section 240 imposes absolute liability on contractors and work site owners who neglect to provide adequate safety regulations and devices to protect workers from falls and falling objects.

So New York respects the safety of construction workers and applies a high degree of legal protection to construction injuries when scaffolding is involved. If you have a scaffolding construction injury or another building related injury, please contact a responsible lawyer.

Writer Alexandra Berzon of the Las Vegas Sun newspaper reports:

New York City construction safety inspectors are required to visit high-rise construction sites at least once a week looking for safety hazards and violations. The city requires that every high-rise construction project have a safety manager, and requires safety training for every job superintendent covering such issues as fall protection.

After the recent construction crane accident, the city inspected every similar crane in the city, and after workers died from a series of scaffolding falls, the city inspected every scaffold and created a task force to draft new scaffold rules.

The city issues fines for safety violations. Even more threatening to contractors, New York inspectors can stop work at job sites for weeks. That can cost contractors on a major project $250,000 a day or even more, Coletti said.

The threat pushes contractors and unions to pay more attention to worker safety, construction safety experts say.

Berzon concludes that New Yorks legal code is even tougher than Las Vegas. Due to recent reforms, hopefully the trend of increasing the welfare and safety of workers will help save lives and increase sustainable economic development over the long term.

If you have been injured in a construction accident, you might wonder if your injury is even eligible for representation by an attorney. You may have been informed (incorrectly) that your injury is not worth going to court for, or that meager worker’s compensation payments are the most that you can hope to attain. Do not be fooled by these inaccuracies; personal injury is one of the most often represented forms of court case and construction injuries of all types are represented on a regular basis.

The city of New York has a very high incidence of injury in construction workers. The numbers are actually quite staggering. Many of those injured, however, never seek more than what their company tells them they are allowed. Understanding that a company will seek to limit the monies paid is the first step towards getting the best settlement for you. No matter what company or contractor you work for, their first priority is protecting their assets and their bottom line. Your best interests are not always the same as theirs.

So, what types of construction injuries are covered by attorneys? What are most lawyers willing to represent? Below you’ll find some of the most common types of injuries, though the list is by no means complete.

Welding Accidents: Welders are often injured due to faulty machines and other accidents. Whether you have been burned or injured in another way, you can find substantial representation for your case.

Falls from Roofs: Falling from a roof is one of the most common forms of construction accident, both in New York and throughout the rest of the nation. If proper safety equipment is not provided and comprehensive safety regulations followed, you can find yourself badly injured. This is another area that sees frequent court representation.

Falling Objects/Debris: Whether it is a hammer, lumber or something much heavier like a circular saw, falling objects constitute a grave danger on the construction site. Workers injured in this manner frequently have not been provided with effective safety equipment and are eligible for personal injury damages beyond worker’s compensation.

Vehicular Accidents: Whether you have been injured by a forklift, a crane or a work truck, the construction company may be at fault. Often, unlicensed individuals are entrusted to operate this machinery, resulting in accidents and fatalities. In a case such as this, the construction management company may be found at fault.

Lack of Safety Equipment: Whether it is a lack of safety lines for rooftop working or a lack of supplied hard hats, this constitutes a serious error on the part of the company and is eligible for legal representation. If you have been injured because you lack the proper safety gear, you can find essential legal representation for your case.

There are a number of other types of cases and types of accidents. Each case will be evaluated and an accident expert will determine your chances for success in court. Most construction site accidents are eligible for more than worker’s compensation payments.

More than 7 million workers nationwide are employed in construction, and construction injuries are among the most common occupational injuries. Though New York state has strict standards for construction employers and some of the nation’s lowest construction injury rates, some injuries are still inevitable. Poor safety, inadequate training, hazardous on-site conditions and faulty or old equipment are just some of the many causes of New York construction accidents.

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A reported surge in skyscraper deaths has prompted new laws in New York City.

Fatalities on high rises — projects of 15 stories or more — rose to five last year from one in 2006 and injuries increased 63 percent, to 52, according to the New York City Buildings Department. More than 60 percent involved materials falling during concrete pouring.

The new laws will affect building that meet a minimum height or “story”.

The city will now require site safety managers for projects of 10 or more stories, or 150 feet in height, instead of the current limit of at least 15 floors or 200 feet, she said in the prepared remarks. Lancaster also proposed requiring “concrete contractors to designate a concrete safety manager” to monitor building methods.

The department is concentrating on site maintenance, including incorrectly installed concrete molds and wood and other materials left lying around, said Lancaster’s first deputy, Robert LiMandri, in a phone interview.

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