• 10
  • November
    2011

One construction worker has died and four others were injured when a building they were working on collapsed under the weight of concrete that had been recently poured onto the third floor. The accident occurred in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, on the afternoon of Tuesday, November 8.

Although this accident is tragic, it is unfortunately not rare. New York City construction accident lawyers know all too well that the city's construction workers regularly face the risk of injury or death on the job site.

The Brighton Beach accident is not the only fatal construction accident to strike the city's workers in recent months. In October, a 33-year-old construction worker fell to his death while he was installing safety netting at a Manhattan church. This past February, two men - both fathers - were killed when they plummeted 65 feet after being knocked over by a falling beam. Just a month earlier, a 26-year-old father of three was killed on a construction site when he was crushed under the weight of a collapsing wall.

Many Construction Accidents Due to Unsafe Working Conditions

These accidents are only a small sample of all of the hard-working New York City construction workers who have been needlessly killed or caused to suffer serious injury while trying to support their families.

To make matters worse, many job site injuries are entirely preventable and happen only because proper safety measures aren't being followed. Investigators believe the Brighton Beach collapse occurred because workers weren't pouring concrete in the correct sequence - instead of starting at the bottom and working up, they started at the top, which caused the building to become unstable. None of the three men who fell to their deaths in the earlier accidents were wearing safety harnesses. Further, the two men killed in February could likely have been saved had appropriate safety platforms been installed at their jobsite.

New York City construction workers should not have to endure unsafe working conditions simply to make a living. If you or a loved one has been injured in a workplace accident, contact an experienced New York City construction accident lawyer who can help you protect your rights.

Source: New York Times, "Worker Dies After Being Rescued From Building Collapse in Brooklyn," Liz Robbins, Nov. 8, 2011.