New York Construction Accident Lawyer

How Many Americans Die From Construction Accidents?

According to a 2021 news release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 4,764 Americans died on the job in 2020. This statistic represents a 10.7% job death decrease since 2019. Americans who work in incredibly dangerous jobs – such as the construction industry and the transportation of large materials – accounted for almost 50% of all 2020 work deaths. Tragically, thousands more construction workers suffer catastrophic injuries on an annual basis. 

New York City is one of the biggest cities in the U.S. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), New York City is also ranked fourth in the country for most injuries at deaths on the job. NYC construction accidents make up the majority of these injuries and deaths.

Types of Construction Accidents

It goes without saying that every construction site has a laundry list of life-threatening hazards. There’s heavy machinery, sharp objects, and tall structures everywhere which can be a perfect recipe for disaster. This means that a construction worker could suffer severe injuries or even death from almost any mishap. Listed below are some of the most common types of construction site accidents that our legal team handles regularly.

• Slipping and falling from heights
• Electrical accidents
• Falling objects
• Scaffolding accidents
• Heavy machinery mishaps
• Faulty safety equipment
• Collapsing structures
• Welding accidents
• Lack of safety training on construction sites
• Explosions and fires
• Toxic chemical exposure
• Malfunctions involving cranes, hoists, harnesses, etc.
• Excavation accidents
• Ladder accidents

A 2020 report from the Center for Construction Research and Training claims that the majority (33%) of construction site injuries in 2019 were caused by contacting dangerous equipment and objects. Meanwhile, 31% of construction injuries in 2019 occurred due to slipping and falling.

What Are Common Types of Construction Accident Injuries?

Construction workers are at risk for nearly any type of catastrophic injury due to the nature of their job sites. For example, injured construction workers could suffer:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and skull fractures
• Neck, back, and spinal cord injuries (SCI)
• Complete or partial paralysis
• Chemical exposure injuries and illnesses
• Broken bones
• Muscle sprains and strains from overexertion and repetitive motions
• Crush injuries
• Amputations
• Skin burns, lacerations, and scarring
• Facial disfigurement and scarring
• Electrocution injuries
• Hearing and vision loss
• Wrongful death 

What is the New York Scaffold Law?

Because the construction industry is so dangerous, it’s important to protect construction workers through laws and safety regulations. Fortunately, the state of New York does that. The Scaffold Safety Law (New York State Labor Law § 240/241) holds construction site property owners and employers fully liable for construction accident cases where a worker falls from tall structures without adequate safety equipment. New York is the only state in the U.S. that has a law to protect workers from a construction site accident like this. 

The Scaffold Safety Law also provides specific instructions for scaffold use on a construction site.

• Scaffolds taller than 20 feet are required to have safety rails that are at least 34 inches tall.
• This 34-inch-tall railing must cover all sides of the scaffold and the openings should only be large enough to receive the necessary materials.
• Scaffolds must be able to hold 4 times the maximum required weight.
• In order to prevent swaying away from buildings, scaffolds must be properly secured.

Strict liability applies to this New York law. In other words, an injured construction worker doesn’t have to prove that their scaffold accident occurred due to someone else’s negligence. An experienced construction accident attorney at Bailey, Johnson & Peck only needs to prove that the Scaffold Law was violated in order to recover fair compensation on your behalf.