A 23-year-old man died in a fall from the roof of a building that was under construction. The construction worker fell from a roof following a large gust of wind, despite wearing a safety harness. The man died from the 24-foot fall within hours of the accidents occurrence. Construction site falls are one of a multitude of accidents that can generate workers’ compensation claims in New York and other states.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration claims the man’s death was preventable and due to the employer not following safety rules. One of the concerns expressed was that the worker was not given the means to secure his safety harness correctly to an anchored point. OSHA also cited lack of adequate training and inadequate anchorage and a failure to secure the roof decking properly. The young man’s fatal fall was one of 22 that occurred due to construction site accidents in New York in 2012.
The young man’s company was cited by OSHA for multiple offenses, including lack of fall protection and three other site hazards. One of the top 10 most common OSHA violations is inadequate fall protection for workers. Workplace falls can result in death, but they can also result in horrible injuries that can leave workers with lifelong ailments.
When workers are injured on the job, they can lose wages and be faced with mounting medical expenses. When companies are negligent in protecting their workers, there is legal recourse. Workers’ compensation lawyers may be able to help an injured worker obtain compensation to cover the financial burdens resulting from the accident. They may also be able to explain the worker’s rights and legal options in seeking both compensation and justice.
Source: Syracuse.com, “Company cited for ‘entirely preventable’ death at Pulaski construction site,” Rick Moriarty, May 7,
