New Yorkers take pride in their skyline. And they should. But that world famous skyline comes with risks, especially for the men and women who built it.
One of the biggest construction injury risks for these New Yorkers comes from falling objects. In the hustle and bustle of a job site, building materials and power tools are nonstop being pushed, pulled, pried and moved. In the process, some of those materials and tools will get dropped or sent airborne by the wind. When that happens, workers below are at the mercy of fate.
But not every drop needs to be left to the hands of fate. Construction companies can take steps to make job sites safer. They can require hardhats, steel-toed boots and other protective gear like respirators, face shields and safety goggles. They can also require supervisors to follow best practices like properly stacking materials so they are less likely to slip or collapse, and prohibiting workers from working underneath loads that are being moved by a crane or hoist.
Construction companies need to take worker safety seriously. If they don’t, workers get hurt or killed. When that happens, workers (or their loved ones in case of death) have legal options, including filing a construction accident lawsuit. Doing so could lead to the compensation the injured worker needs and deserves; it also could hold the responsible party accountable. If workers choose this route, they can receive compensation for medical expenses, lost future wages and more.
To learn more about the pros and cons of pursuing a construction accident lawsuit, New Yorkers may benefit from discussing their situation with an experienced construction accident attorney.
Source: OSHA, “Struck-By: Falling/Flying Objects,” Accessed April 14, 2015
