A deadly scaffolding accident in Brooklyn claimed the life of a window washer early on the morning of May 18th. The man, whose name was not immediately released to the press, was working on scaffolding above the sidewalk at the corner of Jay and Johnson Streets in Brooklyn when he apparently fell after a misstep. He had been washing the windows of the NYU tech building moments before the fall but it’s unclear exactly how the accident occurred.
One eyewitness told reporters that while the man was talking to another individual on the scaffolding, his foot “just slipped” and tumbled forward and over the scaffold, striking the ground head-first. If that was the case, it’s unlikely that he was wearing a proper harness and that his safety gear failed him.
Rescue crews arrived within minutes of the scaffolding accident in New York and rushed the man to a nearby hospital. He was listed in critical condition but shortly after his arrival his wounds proved to be too much. He passed away within minutes.
OSHA standards require that workers above ground level take certain precautions and use approved safety gear to prevent scaffolding accidents in New York City. In cases where no equipment is issued to the worker or the equipment is faulty, under New York’s Labor Law, the property owner and general contractor, if there was one, would be found absolutely liable for the victim’s death and held financially liable for the pain and suffering for the time the worker lived after the accident, hospital/medical bills, funeral costs, and lost wages for the period the worker lived along with lost financial support for the dependents which the worker would have earned over his or her lifetime, regardless of whether or not the worker contributed to the accident.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a fall from a ladder or scaffold while the job, contact an experienced New York City scaffolding accident attorney immediately. Timely investigation is key to a successful result.