The New York attorneys at Block O’Toole & Murphy continue to follow a tragic construction accident that killed 34 year-old worker Lukasz Stolarski. Below are a few more details.
Lukasz Stolarski, a Brooklyn resident, was killed a week ago after a construction site fall at 424 West 33rd Street on Manhattan’s west side. Stolarski was one of a group of workers that was completing façade and restoration work at the time. He was reportedly standing on a ledge between the roof and the penthouse of the residential building, 13 stories above the ground, when he fell. Stolarski was not wearing a harness at the time. A harness is intended for this precise scenario and it should have been provided and absolutely required to be worn. If it were, this tragedy would have almost certainly been avoided. Instead, without the appropriate protection, Lukasz Stolarski crashed down on top of a sidewalk shed, dying instantly.
Compounding the tragedy, Department of Buildings officials have now released information that there were more than 36 open violations at the Manhattan construction site. Further, the DOB issued several new violations including:
· Failure to safeguard persons or property.
· Failure to report an accident
· No record of daily inspection of a suspended scaffold
· Work failing to conform to approved plans
· Failure to provide protection
· Failure to provide guardrails
Reading between the lines here, it seems that the failure to provide and require workers to wear a harness while working high off the ground was one of the grounds for some of the above violations. A full stop work order has been issued at the dangerous site. This appears to be another example of an immigrant worker being compelled to work in an unsafe work environment without much, if any, regard for the person’s safety and well-being. This type of thing happens too frequently with immigrant workers who are often not in a position to protest unsafe work conditions. Mr. Stolarski paid the ultimate price when all he intended to do that day was earn an honest day’s pay. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones.
Block O’Toole & Murphy is one of New York’s premier construction accident law firms. The lawyers at Block O’Toole & Murphy have been fighting on behalf of injured workers for decades. Our results for injured workers evidences a commitment to fighting for the underdog. The firm has amassed more than $750,000,000 in verdicts and settlements for their clients. For a free consultation, you may call them at 212-736-5300. To learn more about the firm , you can call them at 212-736-5300.