A construction worker was killed in New York City earlier this week when the temporary platform he was standing on collapsed beneath his feet. The man fell nearly 40 feet to the bottom of an elevator shaft. The construction accident Manhattan was reported just after noon but by the time rescue workers arrived the man was unconscious and unresponsive. He was taken to nearby Bellevue Hospital Center but doctors were unable to revive him.
This type of construction accident in New York is not only one of the most common; it’s also one of the most dangerous. Unsafe and unsecure platforms and scaffolding are responsible for a larger percentage of all the fatal and near-fatal falls at construction sites in New York City. While New York Department of Buildings and Federal OSHA exist to protect workers in hazardous environments, regulations and safety precautions are often overlooked and sometimes bypassed.
This particular elevator accident in Manhattan is eerily similar to one two months ago when yet another worker fell down an unguarded elevator shaft in which he was working.
The New York City Department of buildings issued violations alleging a failure to safeguard from potential falls from heights and a full stop work order until the construction accident could be fully investigated issued. The building (400 Times Square Associates) hired BRF, a construction contractor, to oversee the renovation of the high-rise. BRF has, according to DOB records, been cited for safety violations in the past including one instance in which an employee was spotted free-climbing 20 feet or higher on a rebar wall without a safety harness.
The company will likely also face a lawsuit on behalf of the worker’s surviving family for the earnings that would have been contributed to the family.
If you have been injured in a similar construction accident in New York, contact an expert New York City construction accident attorney today to discuss your case confidentially. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel for a free consultation at or 212-385-1122 to learn what compensation you deserve and are entitled to.