Fewer people were killed but more people were injured in New York City construction accidents in 2009, the Daily News reported.
The New York City construction accident attorneys and the New York crane accident lawyers at Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool fight for the rights of people who have been seriously injured or killed at or near construction sites.
There were three fatal New York City construction accidents last year, compared to 19 in 2008. Experts pin the drastic decline on the end of the decade-long construction boom in the city as the economy soured. In 2007, 12 people were killed in New York City construction accidents; 18 died in 2006.
However, the number of construction accidents jumped nearly 50 percent, to 224 in 2009, compared to 151 in 2008.
The Buildings Department attributed the drop in fatalities to better enforcement and the higher accident rates to better reporting by contractors.
While fewer reported fatalities is good news, the drastic increase in New York City construction accidents and injuries is cause for concern. Contractors, builders, property owners and others responsible for the safety of a job site have an obligation to prevent accidents and injuries.
Two of the deaths reported in 2009 involved workers falling, one in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn. Neither victim had been provided with a required safety harness, the Daily News reported.
The third death was caused by the collapse of a concrete wall in Staten Island.
The city revised its construction codes last year for the first time in four decades and launched a series of safety initiatives aimed at cracking down on unsafe conditions.
If you or a loved one has been injured at or near a construction site, call the New York City construction accident lawyers and the New York crane injury attorneys at Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool for a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call 866-LifeLaw (866-543-3529).
