New York City Personal Injury Lawyer - Construction Accidents

New Construction Safety Rules For New York City

Chrissie Cole — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:26:00 GMT

New York City Buildings Commissioner, Robert LiMandri, unveiled a plan, including 40 new rules, intended to overhaul how high-rise construction and the City are regulated.

The new recommendations include tracking crane parts, engineers and crane owners must sign-off on repairs, better training inspectors and closer scrutiny of older equipment.

Officials are seeking a way to use a crane’s maintenance history and age online, similar in nature to Web sites that provide information regarding used automobiles.

Between March and May of 2008, nine people were killed in two tower crane collapses and more than a dozen others were killed in a series of deadly accidents.

The city responded with increased inspections, stopped work more often at sites and rewrote dozens of regulations that many in the industry said were onerous.

Since the accidents the industry has been crippled by the failing economy, with billions of dollars of projects canceled or postponed. Real estate experts said at a business conference Tuesday that developers were seeking to reduce construction costs by up to 25 percent to get projects off the ground.

Buildings officials said the new rules would are expected to take effect in the next few months.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Miami Crane Accident Injures Five, Kills Two

Chrissie Cole — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:21:31 GMT

A crane collapsed and plunged 30-floors killing two workers and injuring five others at a Miami construction site.

Three construction workers were transported to local hospitals in critical condition. One was being treated at the scene and another may have been trapped under the rubble, according to a Fire spokesman.

At this time officials are unsure what caused the crane to collapse. The accident occurred at the site of a 40-plus story luxury tower formerly used in the popular movie "There's Something About Mary," located on Biscayne Bay, in Miami.

The crane's main vertical section remains intact.

The part that fell was a 20-foot span that workers had been raising to extend the equipment's reach.

Just ten days ago, seven people were killed in a crane accident at New York construction site.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Crane Accident May have Been Caused by Faulty Strap

Jenny Albano — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:29:13 GMT

A crane collapse that occurred Saturday, March 15, may have been caused by a faulty strap made of nylon. The accident has claimed the lives of seven people and has damaged over 300 apartments in 17 buildings. The yellow nylon sling was used to hoist a six-ton piece of steel and may have broken under the extreme weight. Pictures from the scene show the ends of the strap frayed and ragged.

Investigators believe the accident occurred as workers were trying to install a massive square steel collar around the crane's tower, at the 18th floor of the construction site. They were using a series of manual winches that appeared to have been hung from nylon slings attached to a higher portion of the tower. The collar was to have been attached to the building by steel struts to give the tower added stability.

But instead of this the collar, and the winches and slings, fell down the outside of the shaft and smashed into another collar which also broke free from the building. The collars then landed on a third collar near the base which destabilized the tower. The weight of the crane pulled the tower down onto several buildings, killing some and causing millions of dollars in damage.

The slings that were used normally cost around $50 and are supposed to be able to lift anywhere from moderate loads to several tons. But experts warned that if the slings become damaged or worn their strength is greatly diminished. Steven R. Dewey, president of a company that makes construction slings, said that slings generally fail only when they are cut or damaged, possibly from a previous lift. When investigators arrived on the scene the frayed straps immediately caused concern.

Officials in New York said that it was much too early to determine the cause of the accident or say why the slings broke but they are continuing to investigate.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

New York Crane Accident Kills Four

Shannon Weidemann — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 22:06:45 GMT

A crane being used on a new building under construction in Manhattan collapsed today, killing four people. The crane fell onto a building across the street and completely destroyed it. Two buildings on either side were also damaged. At least 12 people were injured in the construction accident that drew over 300 rescue workers to the scene. The four victims are believed to be construction workers.

The cause of the accident on a sunny, windless day was unclear and under investigation by city, state and federal agencies. It occurred, the mayor said, as workers attempted to jack up the crane, raising its height to enable work to continue above the 19th floor of a planned 43-story building. The task of raising the crane had city permission, and the crane had been inspected on Friday, with no violations found.
The collapse happened about 2:22 p.m. as the crane, about 22 stories tall and attached by girders to an apartment tower under construction at 303 East 51st Street, east of Second Avenue, broke away from its anchors and toppled south, across the block between 51st and 50th Streets, as workers at the site and people in high-rise windows for blocks around looked on, stupefied.

The city has had numerous fatal construction accidents already this year. The construction industry is under increased scrutiny and pressure for more safety standards. 14 violations have been issued to contractors working on the building that started construction in 2006. Rescue workers are still searching for people that may be trapped in the building.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Work Stops at Trump SoHo Building Project Again

Shannon Weidemann — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:20:14 GMT

The Trump SoHo building project has been halted again, this time from a crane accident that shattered window glass. The construction accident happened on Saturday night. A chain on a crane was not secured and high wind sent it into the building. Glass was broken and fell 26 floors to the street below. No one reported any injuries from the accident.

The department slapped contractor Bovis Lend Lease with a stop-work order and cited the company for not securing the chain that was being used to hoist windows.
Bovis officials said in a statement there were "a few broken panes of glass, which were removed as a precautionary measure."
Asked if glass fell to the street, a company spokeswoman refused to comment.

The company has had to cease work on the building numerous times. A construction worker was killed on the project in January when he fell 42 stories to his death. This is the second time that the company has had to stop work due to falling debris.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

New Construction Laws Proposed in New York City

Shannon Weidemann — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:52:59 GMT

Following a rise in construction deaths and injuries in New York City, new laws intended to protect construction workers have been proposed by the city's Building Commissioner. Construction accident injuries have rised 63 percent since 2006. New regulations include registering of concrete contractors and changing which projects require a safety manager. Currently a builiding must be 15 stories or 200 feet before one is required. The proposed law lowers the height to 10 floors or 150 feet.

``The construction industry in general and concrete operations in particular, need more regulation,'' Commissioner Patricia Lancaster said a City Council committee hearing on Housing and Buildings today. ``The number of accidents reported at high-rises is growing faster than the number of sites themselves.''

Two contractors were killed last month One in a scaffolding fall and the other in a 40-story fall after freshly poured concrete gave way. The head of the New York Building Trades Employers' Association of unionized construction contractors is asking for even more regulations to protect workers. He says that the highest number of accidents is occuring in low-rise buildings.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Worker Killed at Trump SoHo Construction Site

Chrissie Cole — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 23:08:07 GMT

One worker was killed and one seriously injured in a construction accident at the Trump SoHo construction site when a bucket full of wet concrete careened into scaffolding and sent debris flying 40 stories.

Construction workers and authorities said the bucket, which was being hoisted by a crane near the 41st floor, fell into some scaffolding supporting near the top of the building at about 1:55 p.m. The bucket and the scaffolding then fell onto one nearby worker, a married dad from the Ukraine named Yuri, who plummeted 30 feet to his death.

43 people were killed in construction accidents, in New York, in 2006, the deadliest year in at least a decade. These are the most recent statistics available to date, according to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Chrissie Cole

Man Dies in Logan Construction Accident

Shannon Weidemann — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:10:03 GMT

A 43-year-old contractor was killed in Logan, Montana on Monday after falling from a roof. The construction accident happened on a new house under construction. The victim was working on the roof when he feel 20 feet and died.

The victim

was working on the roof of a new house near Logan Monday morning when he fell off a ladder. Officials say they are still trying to determine how he fell 20 feet, and died of a head injury.

The accident will be investigated by the local police department and OSHA. No foul play is suspected in the accident. It is not known if proper safety procedures were followed on the construction site.

If you would like to learn more about construction accidents, please visit InjuryBoard's Workplace Injuries page.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Atlantic City Construction Accident Injures Man

Shannon Weidemann — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 22:36:59 GMT

A man working as a glazier on an Atlantic City hotel under construction was injured in a fall. He was installing windows on the Borgata Hotel & Casino. Rescue workers credit his safety harness for saving the construction workers life. The construction accident happened on Thursday.

Instead of falling to the ground, the man wound up wedged in a roughly 2-foot-wide space between the tower wall and a framework that holds the windows in place, according to Atlantic City Deputy Fire Chief Michael Mooney.
The glazier was pulled from the small space by fire officials after he was stabilized for possible injuries, he said. The glazier was placed on a stretcher and brought to the ground via a construction elevator, he said.

The man was taken to a local hospital to be treated for his injuries. The accident will be investigated by local officials and the Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

If you would like to learn more about construction accidents, please visit InjuryBoard's Worksite Injuries information page.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Shannon Weidemann

Death at Construction Site in the Bronx

Jenny Albano — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 14:53:22 GMT

A construction worker was killed Friday, December 7, at a construction site in the Bronx. The man was pinned between two pieces of heavy equipment and then was dropped into an eight foot deep hole. Authorities have not released the man's name so they could inform the family first, but the company, Underground Water and Sewer of the Bronx, identified the worker as Bekim Hysenlekaj.

Hysenlekaj was an immigrant from Kosovo who had been living in the United States for only a few months. He had left his two young sons in Kosovo to come and work here.

The workers were supposed to be laying pipes that would connect an under construction apartment building to a city water main. The construction workers needed to use a backhoe to dig the hole to get to the water main and were about to cover up the hole with plywood when the accident occurred.

Mr. Hysenlekaj was standing near the backhoe about 12:45 p.m. as the backhoe operator was apparently scooping dirt out of the hole into a dump truck. Mr. Hysenlekaj's head became pinned between the arm of the backhoe and the side of the truck, a spokesman for the Fire Department said.

Hysenlekaj was announced dead shortly after he was admitted to a local hospital. The cause of death was not immediately clear. Authorities think that the backhoe operator could not see Mr. Hysenlekaj when the incident occurred, but police officers administered a Breathalyzer test a standard procedure.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Workplace Injuries.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano