A team of construction workers narrowly avoided injury earlier this month when a demolition accident in Manhattan sent a large portion of wall tumbling to the ground. The accident happened at a jobsite inside a five-story building in lower Manhattan around noon. FDNY responders rushed to the scene but thankfully none of the workers onsite reported any serious injuries.
FDNY inspectors had the scene locked down and “controlled” within an hour but called in the Department of Buildings to launch a full-scale investigation into this latest construction accident in New York City.
Demolition accidents in New York often happen during the first phase of remodeling or renovation projects. In an attempt to hurry the process along, workers have been known to cut corners or use unsafe practices to conserve time and money. Indeed, many times workers look for the easiest way (instead of the safest) to demo or partially demolish a building in order to get to the construction phase quicker. However, when those corners are cut, many times necessary safety measures (such as bracing walls and ceilings temporarily) often go overlooked.
New York Labor Law mandates what safety measures and equipment must be in place at jobsites during the demolition stage of the construction project. This is separate and apart from what OSHA requires. If a property owner, general contractor or construction manager violates the Labor Law or the OSHA regulations, they can be held accountable for the injuries sustained by any of the workers at the site.
If a worker is injured in a demolition accident or partial building collapse caused by the failure to follow the Labor Law or OSHA rules, that worker could successfully seek financial damages from the property owner and general contractor. Those damages can include pain and suffering, unmedical expenses and lost wages – from the time of the accident into the future.
If you’ve been injured at a construction site, contact an experienced demolition accident attorney in New York City today. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-385-1122 to schedule your free consultation right now.