A new report, “The Price of Life: 2015 Report on Construction Fatalities in NYC,” was released last week. Intended as an update to the New York Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH) 2014 report “It’s No Accident,” the report provides a sobering view of the state of construction accidents and construction workplace safety in New York City.
Here are just a few of the highlights from the recent report:
- Although less than four percent of New Yorkers work in construction jobs, construction accounts for 20 percent of workplace deaths in the state.
- Sixty-five percent of construction workers do their jobs on scaffolding – and falls from scaffolding and other structures caused 49 percent of construction deaths in recent years.
- When inspected by OSHA in 2011 and 2012, 66 percent of construction workplaces were cited for “serious” safety violations, including lack of fall protection equipment.
- “Serious” OSHA safety violations were cited in 89 percent of construction worker fatalities in recent years. In 68 percent of deaths caused by a fall, OSHA found that the worksite had violated safety standards that are specifically intended to prevent or reduce fall risk.
- Seventy-nine percent of fatal construction site falls occurred at non-union construction sites in recent years, indicating that non-union construction workers may be at an even greater risk of serious injury or death than unionized construction workers.
If you’ve been injured in a workplace accident, the experienced New York construction accident attorneys at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP can help. Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation.