Construction is constant in the city that never sleeps. There is always a new project, building, or residence being built which means that accidents occur fairly regularly. It is a sad fact and one that authorities are working are to improve on with safety standards and regulations being put in place to protect workers and innocent bystanders.
Accidents Happen
Nevertheless, New York City has seen many construction accidents. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the private construction industry sector has the highest number of workplace fatalities than any other industry. Some of the most devastating accidents can be those involving cranes. The sheer size of these machines alone can make a small problem become a huge one, so it is important to ensure that that they are in perfect working condition.
Regular Maintenance
In an effort to stay on top of crane maintenance and safety the Department of Buildings made surprise inspections on April 4, to see if construction companies were in compliance with the standards and regulations necessary for cranes to operate. One regulation that was being checked on is that all cranes must be equipped with a wind measuring device. If the winds pick up to more than 30 miles per hour the cab operator can see that in real time and must cease operation of the machine. This regulation was put in place after a crane fell over on a windy day in 2016 and killed a pedestrian.
According to the Department of Buildings, they have cracked down on crane operations and have issued about 8,000 violations last year. That number of violations is a great increase over the 4,000 that were issued five years ago.
If you or a loved one was injured on a construction site and want to pursue a construction accident lawsuit, contact us at:
Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman
1392 Boston Rd
Bronx, NY 10456
(347) 475-1041
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