A security guard was killed two months ago in a tragic construction site accident in New York City. The 55-year-old man was patrolling a partially reconstructed tower at One Wall Street in the Financial District at around 1:30 p.m. on September 20th when he fell down a ventilation shaft. The man fell to bottom of the shaft, nearly six stories below. FDNY arrived within minutes of the accident and were able to extricate the victim from the bottom of the shaft. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
The New York City Department of Buildings immediately issued a stop work order and launched an investigation into this “fall through floor construction accident.” These types of accidents are one of the most common at job sites in New York City as many of the structures under construction or renovation are multi-story buildings. Remodeling an existing structure always poses a danger to all workers on the jobsite as builders are constantly dealing with existing or creating voids, shafts, and holes on each floor which the workers must work around.
Under the New York Labor Law, the property owner and general contractor for the project are absolutely responsible for these elevation risk accidents. Indeed, the New York Labor Law specifically spells out the safety equipment required at worksites that apply to fall hazards (such as ventilation shafts). If the safety equipment fails or is improperly installed or secured and a worker is injured (or killed) the property owner and general contractor are held absolutely liable for the accident.
At this job site, there were previously filed complaints filed for safety violations including unsafe scaffolding.
If you’ve been injured in a fall while working at a construction site in any capacity, you could be entitled to significant compensation for your injuries and lost wages. Contact an experienced New York City construction accident attorney today to get the legal help you need. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel at 800-734-9338 or 212-+385-1122 for your free consultation.