Working in an industry like construction has certain perks and benefits. However, one major downside to working in the construction industry is the high risk of injury that many face while performing tasks on the job. Most construction workers face dangers such as heights, heavy machinery and other inherently dangerous situations on a daily basis. One such New York construction worker suffered a workplace injury while working on a project in Chelsea.
Emergency crews were called to the scene on west 29th street when it was reported that a worker had fallen into a hole. According to reports, the hole was around 15 feet deep. It took emergency crews roughly half an hour to extract the man, who appeared to have suffered a leg injury in the fall. The project the man was working on is a new apartment building, one of the many being constructed around the state.
A city council woman spoke up at a recent vigil for injured or fatally injured workers because 29 workers have died this year due to work injuries, in New York City alone. The city council member made note of how, “the people who are dying are people who feel they have the least voice in this industry.” Construction sites and businesses are required to follow a strict regimen of safety training and standards. Companies are often fined when they do not have proper safety methods in place; however, death tolls have not appeared to have been much of a deterrent for construction companies in New York this year.
The recent vigil for fallen workers is a show of support for the workers and their families who have been killed on the job this year. Oftentimes, common workplace injuries, and even deaths, are the result of improper safety precaution on behalf of the employer. If it can be proven that an employer was negligent in their care, or lack thereof, of their employee, they can face more than just a workers’ compensation claim. Every workplace injury and fatality need be carefully investigated to determine cause, and potentially, fault.
Source: patch.com, “Chelsea construction site accident: Firefighters pull injured man from hole,” Simone Wilson, December 21, 2016