Keeping workers safe is important not only for the workers’ sake. It’s also important for companies that hope to continue making money. When a company is found to be putting workers at serious risk of injury or death, OSHA or the New York City Department of Buildings can simply shut it down. Called a “stop-work order”, that’s exactly what happened at several job sites across the city in 2013.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the city’s Buildings Commissioner recently announced the success of their inspection operation. Called “Operation: Low Rise”, the two-month campaign was an inspection sweep of low-rise construction projects around the city.
Over a two-month period, the agency inspected a total of 920 sites. At 12% of these sites, jobs were put on full or partial stop-work orders. A total of 870 safety violations were issued and more than $950,000 in fines assessed.
Violations included working without a permit, missing or inadequate handrails and guardrails, failure to safeguard, failure to provide protection for adjoining buildings, and missing fire extinguishers.
Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri announced the results of the sweep at the opening of the Department of Buildings’ 9th Annual Construction Safety Week, which kicked off on April 29, according to the OSHA article.
During his keynote address, LiMandri spoke to workers and their employers alike, telling them that experience doesn’t make you invincible. And no matter how long you’ve been in the field, safety is a conscious daily practice.
“As development increases across the city, so must our focus on construction safety,” LiMandri said. “Any construction operation presents certain risks, and we are working closely with industry members to mitigate those risks so every worker goes home safely at the end of each shift.”
As a way to spread the word about the campaign, inspectors handed out some 10,000 pamphlets to workers during the two-month crack down. They encouraged workers to practice safety in everything they do.
Still, construction risks remain. Even if you are experienced and practice strict adherence to safety standards, it doesn’t mean your job site is risk-free. You could still be hurt, and if that happens, someone must be held accountable.
New York and New Jersey Construction Accident Lawyers
The construction accident attorneys with Ginarte are here to help workers who are injured while on the job. Whether you are hurt in a fall accident or in a run-in with unsafe equipment, we may be able to help you, too. Contact our offices today at 888-GINARTE for a consultation on your case.