Since 2009, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection has been making major improvements as a means of restoring the city's infrastructure, but almost a month after citizens celebrated the Gowanus Canal Flushing Tunnel's centennial, the streets near the historical landmark were closed for another reason - the fall of a construction worker.
On the morning of July 25, 2011, Hal Kaplan, a 39-year-old employee of Northeast Remsco Construction, was working on a below-ground ladder when he slipped on a wet rung and fell approximately 40 feet into a gaping hole. Landing on his legs and back, Kaplan retained consciousness as rescue workers rigged pulleys to lift him to safety. Once free, Kaplan was rushed to Lutheran Hospital where it was announced that he was in critical condition.
Kaplan was lucky. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), falls are among the top five sources of workplace fatalities. The United States Department of Labor more specifically affirms that work-site falls are one of the leading causes of traumatic occupational deaths and account for 8 percent of all occupational fatalities from trauma. In New York alone, 28 workers died as a result of workplace falls in 2010.
Interpreting the BLS statistics, Forbes magazine recently reported that the construction industry, with around 800 fatal injuries, was one of the most dangerous in the nation. In 2009, 813 deaths - about one in every five work-related fatalities - were linked to construction accidents.
Injuries from workplace falls can range from bruises, scrapes and sprains to broken bones, head injuries, spinal cord traumas, back injuries and even death. Worksite falls are serious and can have lasting effects that may limit a worker from continuing in their profession and severely impact their ability to support their families.
Construction is a trillion-dollar industry that employed nearly 9 million people in 2008. One of the nation's largest industries, construction is still one of the most dangerous. While various federal agencies monitor and attempt to reduce the risk for work-related injuries, workers and their employers need to realize the inherent risks of working in an industry responsible for building and maintaining our nation's physical infrastructure.
If you or a family member has been injured from a construction site fall or other hazard, you should contact a New York construction accident attorney as soon as possible to ensure you are protecting your rights. An experienced personal injury lawyer will be able to advise you of the challenges you are likely to face and will fight for you to obtain the compensation you deserve.
