Site of fatal accident has faced numerous citations over safety violations
The death of a pedestrian who was struck by a piece of plywood that fell from a Manhattan construction site is putting a spotlight on the danger posed to both the public and construction workers by falling debris. According to the New York Post, the pedestrian’s death comes on the back of a rise in injuries in the city related to falling debris. Furthermore, the construction site were the accident happened has been subject to numerous safety violations, including complaints about worker injuries related to falling objects.
Young woman killed
The young woman was killed on West 12 th Street after a piece of plywood blew off of a construction site where a condo tower was being built. The plywood struck the woman and pushed her into a wall, killing her. The accident occurred during a particularly windy day in New York City. An investigation into the accident is ongoing.
The New York Post points out that while the incident was the first time a pedestrian had been killed by falling debris in New York City in the past six years, injuries involving falling debris are on the rise. Over the past five years, nearly 60 people in the city have been hit by objects falling from construction sites, with over a quarter of those accidents occurring between January and September of 2014 alone.
Construction site violations
Furthermore, the construction site involved in this particular accident has been at the center of safety concerns in the past. According to the New York Daily News, the construction site has racked up 57 code violations, 34 of which were classified as hazardous. The citations ranged from on-site fires to scaffolding that failed to meet safety standards. The concerns had previously led to the site being temporarily shut down.
Perhaps most disturbing, given the recent fatal accident, are the previous concerns raised by falling debris at the site. One worker had been injured by a piece of falling steel and another had been hit in the head by another falling object. The site had also been cited for failing to properly secure property. Residents in the area had also complained about glass and metal falling to the street since construction on the tower began in 2012.
Construction accidents
The tragic accident described above is another reminder of just how dangerous construction sites can be, both for the public and for workers themselves. While most such accidents are entirely avoidable, safety violations can lead to workers and other people being placed in harm’s way.
For workers who have been injured on the job, it is important to reach out to a workers compensation attorney. A qualified attorney can help injured workers receive whatever compensation they may deserve and such compensation can go a long way towards easing the financial burden that often arises during a victim’s recovery period.
