Report: Construction fatalities spike in New York

On Behalf of | Feb 2, 2017 | Construction Accidents |

Given the countless, ever-present dangers on construction sites today, it likely comes as little surprise that being a construction worker is one of the most dangerous jobs a person can have.

In fact, according to a report recently issued by the New York Committee for Occupational Safety & Health, the fatal injury rate for construction workers in all of New York State is nearly four times the fatal injury rate of the state’s total workforce. Even worse, while 464 workers were killed working in New York’s construction industry from 2006 through 2015, an alarming 55 construction workers died in 2015 alone – representing a 67 percent increase from just 2011.

Unfortunately, the story in New York City itself isn’t any better. For instance, the report found that the fatal injury rate for construction workers in NYC is nearly five times that of all workers. In addition, the number of construction-related deaths increased nearly 50 percent from 2011 to 2015.

Sadly, construction workers in New York City account for more than one-third of all workplace fatalities, despite the fact that they only make up three percent of the city’s workforce. To put all of these numbers into perspective, over the last two calendar years, a New York City family has had to mourn the death of a construction worker every two to three weeks, on average.

What makes these deaths even more tragic is that many of the construction accidents that caused the fatalities could have been prevented had proper safety protocols simply been followed.

Get the legal help you need today

Whether you have been injured or a loved one has been killed in a construction accident, you may have rights under New York law, even if you are an undocumented worker. However, you need an experienced law firm in your corner – you need Edelman & Edelman, P.C. Contact us today and learn how we can help you.