Accidents at the worksite, especially at construction sites are common across the United States and in New York. Numbers suggest that there were 5,333 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States in 2019, a 2 percent increase from the 5,250 in 2018, and the highest since 2007. The fatal work injury rate was 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, as per a report released in 2018. New York contributes to a large extent to these numbers.
If you’ve been injured in a construction accident, you deserve to get the compensation for your medical recovery, mental trauma, and pain & suffering. Get the compensation by working with a New York construction accident attorney. The attorneys at Siler & Ingber, LLP offer free case evaluations for any victim that has sustained injuries in a construction accident.
Common causes of accidents at construction sites
Some of the most common causes of construction accidents in New York are as follows:
- Improper fall protection – this refers to situations where a worker may fall prey to a broken ladder or broken equipment.
- Hazardous communications standards – this refers to a situation where a worker may not receive adequate warning of using product that may be hazardous, for example, a chemical
- Scaffolding-related security risks – falls from scaffolding are very common due to a tripping or slipping.
- Respiratory-related protections – construction sites are often highly polluted due to the ongoing work. Such high exposure over a long period of time can often lead to respiratory issues among workers.
- Control of hazardous energy/chemicals: use of chemicals is common on construction sites, for example, to clean equipment, etc. Hence, exposure without adequate protection can lead to negative impact on health
It is the responsibility of the employer to make sure that the above mentioned and other such situations are avoided by taking adequate care. The employers are also mandated by law to protect their workers from any accident.
Once such provision of protection is the Occupational Safety and Health Hazard Administration (OSHA). OSHA is a federal government agency that aims to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for employees by mandating implementation of certain safety standards as well as provide timely and updated information on workplace safety. The end objective is to avoid any workplace injury to occur. OSHA also provides training to employers to ensure effective implementation of safety standards. OSHA also undertakes inspections of workplaces. In 2019, OSHA conducted nearly 34000 workplace inspections.
If you suffer an accident on a construction site due to negligence of the employer, you’re entitled to compensation. You can work with an OSHA lawyer to help you navigate the legal route so that you get the settlement you deserve.
In addition to OSHA, there are other provisions also that protect the workforce. For example the New York Labor Law: Section 240. It is a part of a set of labor laws designed to protect workers on construction sites from being involved in construction-related accidents. This section focuses on falls from high locations, one of the most common causes of accidents on job sites.
If you’ve suffered an injury in a construction accident
If you’ve been in a construction accident due to employer negligence, then you’re entitled to compensation. In most cases, this settlement offer will be grossly inadequate to compensate for the injuries, and other expenses you may incur immediately and in the long run. Additionally, the compensation might only include the workers’ compensation.
If you or someone you know has suffered an injury as a construction worker due to someone’s negligence, you need the top injury lawyer, contact Siler & Ingber today. Call us on 1-877-529-4343 or complete our online form on this page to schedule a case evaluation with one of our experienced construction accident attorneys. Our consultation is free and we do not charge a fee unless we win your case.