Tragically, a worker died last week as a result of a fall from a two-story home on 50th Ave., near 94th St. in Corona, Queens, as reported by the New York Daily News.
At around 11:50am on October 18th, the 60-year-old worker, whose name has not yet been released, was testing anchors installed on the roof when he fell from the roof and suffered severe head trauma. Medics rushed him to Elmhurst Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The worker was a certified electrician employed by Sunrun, a home solar energy company that offers residential solar installation services.
Gary Padgett, an eyewitness, told Daily News that the electrician wasn’t wearing fall protection, like a harness, and there was nothing on the roof for him to tie something like a harness to. Padgett, who is a retired construction worker, noted that he did not see common safety measures in place at the time of the accident.
The New York City Department of Buildings issued a stop order after the incident. In a statement released to the public, DOB declared that they will be investigating the accident with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) authorities.
This is a heartbreaking and tragic incident. Our deepest condolences to the worker’s loved ones and all those affected by his death.
Falls: Top Cause of Worker Fatalities in the Construction Industry
Unfortunately, this event is not an anomaly. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls accounted for 38.8% of deaths in the construction industry in 2015 (364 out of 937 total deaths).
Common occurrences of construction-related accidents include falls from:
- Scaffolding
- Roof
- Beams
- Balcony
- Collapsed Flooring
- Ladders
Workers in the construction industry are at risk for severe injuries and even death in their line of work, evidenced by the sobering statistics on occupational fatalities and injuries. The construction industry employs 3% of New York City’s workforce but make up a staggering 34% of all workplace deaths.
Legal Ramifications of Electrician’s Death in Corona, Queens
Construction accident cases are complex. Each case is subject to applicable local, state, and sometimes even federal laws. The specific facts of a case will dictate what remedy a worker and his or her family may have. In this particular incident, the electrician’s loved ones may be able to recover workers’ compensation damages and possibly recover in a third party lawsuit against those who were responsible for making sure he was provided a safe place to do his job.
If you or someone you love has been hurt in a construction accident and would like to learn more about your legal rights, the lawyers at Block O’Toole & Murphy offer free legal consultations to injury victims in New York. Please call 212-736-5300 to speak with an experienced attorney.
The personal injury lawyers at Block O’Toole & Murphy are skilled at litigating construction accident cases and have recovered numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for injured workers. To learn more about our results for construction workers, please visit our Construction Accident Verdicts and Settlements page.
Questions about a case? Simply call 212-736-5300 or fill out our Contact Form for a FREE Case Review.