Eight years after the construction industry crashed, new building is on the rise for the first time since in New York City. The new construction can most likely be attributed to the massive rebuilding effort after Hurricane Sandy. This means more jobs for the region’s construction workers. It might also lead to a continued rise in construction worker accidents, since we have seen those numbers rise as well. The possibility is troubling for the construction industry.
In 2015, New York City’s construction related accidents rose from 231 to 323, which marked a 39.8 percent increase. Construction related injuries also rose 44.7 percent from 2014’s 246 to 356 in 2015.
In a statement, Department of Building Commissioner Rick Chandler said that most of 2015’s construction related accidents and injuries “were avoidable.” To help address the rising numbers, the DOB has “developed an ambitious plan to improve safety at construction sites,” according to Chandler. He also said that the DOB has started to “revoke or suspend the licenses of firms” and considered “shutdown hundreds of job sites” that were found to have repeatedly violated New York City’s construction code and comprised the safety of workers.
The DOB blamed the increase in accidents on an increase in falls by workers on construction sites and falls by construction materials. He also noted that New York City has strict construction regulations. However, the number of safety checks has gone down and lawyers for construction workers have urged the city to reverse this trend and get even stricter.
Even with greater enforcement of regulations, construction workers face serious dangers on the job each and every day. When the weather is bad, the conditions worsen. Falls through holes, falling debris, falls from ladders and scaffolds, electrocution and a multitude of other problems can occur to construction workers. After an accident, injured construction workers should consult immediately with the Law Office of Richard M. Kenny to discuss the next steps to pursue suit and obtain workers compensation benefits to cover medical costs and wage replacements.
If you or a loved one have been involved in a construction site accident, please call the lawyers at the Law Office of Richard M. Kenny today for a free consultation to speak about your options and next steps. Our firm has over a century of cumulative experience in analyzing, processing, and prosecuting these types of cases. Our $100 million in settlements and verdicts proves our expertise and success rate when it comes to construction accidents. Call our office today to speak to experienced and compassionate attorneys who are here to work for you and on your behalf to make sure you get the best results from your construction accident case.
