Passersby were shocked by a spectacular construction accident in Manhattan late last month. A multi-ton crane toppled into the city street, crushing a NYPD van in the process. The massive tracked-vehicle, a “Casa Grande” drilling machine, was entering a construction site at West 30th Street and Sixth Avenue when the vehicle rocked backwards, nearly flipping over.
Surveillance cameras captured video of the construction accident in Manhattan, showing the massive vehicle operating on the sidewalk (a sidewalk which was not closed to pedestrian traffic at the time) before falling into the street. It appears as if the operator partially raised the boom during the tricky maneuver which is not only an unorthodox procedure but may have caused the accident due to the shift in the vehicle’s center of gravity.
The general contractor in charge of the construction site, Flint Lock of Mamoroneck, has been cited multiple times by OSHA in the past for safety violations. The most grievous of these violations occurred in 2013 when the company was fined $250,000 for failing to protect construction workers with fall protection equipment while they were working on the upper floors of a hotel project.
The investigation into this latest construction accident in New York is still ongoing but it is likely that violations did occur and citations may be forthcoming.
Property owners and general contractors under the New York Labor Law are obligated to protect the construction workers and of the public passing by job sites. When they cut corners and fail to do so, accidents can turn deadly in the blink of an eye. If you’ve been injured or have lost a loved one due to negligence, regardless of fault, you may be able to recover for pain and suffering, past and future lost wages and any unpaid health related or household expenses. Contact an expert New York City construction accident attorney today. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel for a free consultation at or 212-385-1122 to learn your rights.