A construction worker’s first day on the job should be cause for celebration at the end of the day. Sadly, for one Brooklyn construction worker, his first day on the job was his last day after he fell to his death. The worker was working on the reparation of the façade on an 11-story Manhattan building when the accident happened.

According to reports, the man was working on scaffolding on the third story of the building and was packing up at the end of the day when he fell to his death. Witnesses say that the 28-year-old construction worker was reaching over the railing to turn a plank over when he lost his footing and plummeted to his death. He apparently fell on his head, which caused massive bleeding. The witnesses also indicated that the man was not wearing a safety harness at the time of the accident.

As with most New York construction accidents, the death of the 28-year-old worker brings up many issues and leaves many questions unanswered. Why was the worker not wearing a harness at the time of the accident? Why did he reach over the railing to turn over the plank? Had he been wearing his harness during the day when he was actually working? Was the scaffolding he was standing on up to code?

Construction Regulations

Because of the inherently dangerous nature of construction work, almost every facet of construction work is regulated. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, has promulgated rules that cover most aspects of the construction industry. State laws also add additional regulations to the construction industry. With all of the regulations in place, one would think that construction workers should be fairly safe. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

Employers often skirt safety issues or outright ignore safety regulations. Some employers do this in an effort to cut costs. Other are trying to meet impossible deadlines, and taking the time to follow proper safety procedures would slow down the progress on the project. Still other employers somehow remain ignorant of the required safety procedures. Regardless of the reason, when an employer fails to abide by safety laws and regulations, it puts all the workers at risk of becoming injured, or even killed.

If you have lost a family member as the result of a fatal construction accident, the only way to know what your legal options are is to speak with a New York construction accident attorney. Although you may be grieving your loss, be sure to act before the expiration of the time frame within which a claim may be filed.

The construction accident attorneys at Ginarte Gonzalez Winograd L.L.P., have seven offices conveniently located in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. Contact the firm today by calling 888-446-2783 for your free consultation or fill out our online contact form.