Another Never Event in New York
There’s a reason misdiagnoses cause medical malpractice claims so commonly. Because of things like this…
Just this year a woman from Harlem underwent a mastectomy to treat what she was told was very serious breast cancer, only to learn after that she never had cancer to begin with. She said, “I didn’t know whether to smile and thank God I didn’t have cancer or cry because I’ve been through so much.”
Sidewalk Sheds: Safety Precaution or Threat to Health and Safety?
Ever-present sidewalk sheds, or sidewalk scaffolds, have become a contentious issue in New York over the past decade. While city laws require scaffolds to protect citizens from crumbling facades and potential dangers, many building owners have left them up for extended periods of time.
The Danger of Hearing Loss in Construction Work
There is not only a correlation between hearing loss and working in construction, but a direct cause and effect. Hearing loss is often caused by lengthy exposure to loud noises that damage the ears, and construction sites routinely produce noises well above safe levels. Working at such sites without ear protection has a very high chance of giving a worker permanent hearing loss.
As many as 2 in 3 construction workers will experience hearing loss by the age of 50, compared to only about 10% of the population that works without exposure to dangerous noises.
Cranes Present a Looming Danger in New York
Crane accidents are, thankfully, among the rarest accidents that occur at construction sites, but when they do happen, the damage can be tremendous. Massive cranes falling from great heights pose a risk not only to the workers of construction sites but also to innocent pedestrians and other bystanders on New York streets. Crane accidents pose a threat not only to people but also to property; even in situations where deaths and injuries have been mercifully low, the property damage has still been immense. After any accident, it is important to make sure those responsible are held accountable for what happened.
New York Construction Deaths Are on the Rise
Construction jobs continue to be the most dangerous workplaces in New York in terms of injuries and fatalities. While overall numbers of workplace fatalities in the city are on the decline, the number of construction fatalities in New York has gone up over the last few years. This may, in part, be due to a reduction in the number of workplace inspections occurring in New York, increasing the chance of a dangerous situation going unnoticed. Since the number of OSHA workers has also decreased in recent years, it is entirely possible that these numbers will continue to rise.
Bus Collision Kills Three in Queens
Nineteen commuters didn’t make it to work Monday morning in Queens. Three of those will never punch a time clock again.
Tragedy struck at dawn on September 18th, when an MTA bus and a Dahlia Travel & Tours bus collided at the intersection of Northern Boulevard and Main Street. A pedestrian on the sidewalk was crushed and pronounced dead at the scene. The Dahlia bus’s driver and a passenger on the MTA bus died at a nearby hospital. Sixteen others were injured in the accident, several of them critically. One of the buses crashed into a fried chicken restaurant on the corner, starting a fire inside.
Avoid Common Construction Site Accidents
Construction sites are arguably the most dangerous workplaces in New York City, offering numerous opportunities for getting hurt.
Cars in the Summer Heat: Deadly for the Elderly
While the news is often filled with tragic reports of children being left in cars and suffering heat stroke, they’re not the only ones in danger. Your elderly loved one might say she’s fine being left in the car, but it only takes minutes for the heat in a vehicle to turn deadly.
Construction Sites Pose Many Risks to Pedestrians
As a pedestrian walking around New York, you will inevitably find yourself near a construction site of some kind: new buildings, repairs or remodels of existing structures, housing developments, and so on. In these areas, numerous hazards and dangers present themselves.
Is Your Employer Providing the Right Safety Gear?
The right safety gear can mean the difference between a safe work environment and a deadly injury on the job.
What gear? Well, common safety equipment includes helmets, knee and elbow pads, eye and ear protection, and fire extinguishers. You can speak with your employer about the safety equipment you need—make sure that any gear provided to you is properly maintained and repaired.