On the morning of Tuesday, October 29, 2019, Frankie Torchia went to work and tragically never returned home. Torchia, a 33-year-old construction worker from Utica, and a coworker were in the process of setting a 30-foot piece of metal on the roof of a four-story building when a gust of wind took the steel sheet and knocked Torchia from the roof. Sadly, he was pronounced dead at the scene, as reported by Oneida County Sheriffs.
Authorities said that no safety equipment or harnesses were being used at the time of the accident, according to Utica Observer Dispatch. The accident occurred while the men were completing a construction project at 7692 Main St. in Clark Mills, New York.
Representatives from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and New York State Department of Labor are investigating the incident.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Mr. Torchia during this difficult time.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the leading cause of worker deaths in the construction industry are falls, which accounted for about 39.2 percent of total construction deaths in 2017. Tragically, fall accidents are generally preventable but occur frequently as a result of safety violations. OSHA cites the following among the most common standard violations:
- Fall protection, construction
- Scaffolding, general requirements, construction
- Ladders, construction
- Fall protection-training requirements
Construction workers are met with dangerous situations in their everyday lives. Unfortunately, when safety standards are not met, they suffer potentially catastrophic injuries and even death. Often times, roofing accidents occur when a worker is forced to perform a job under dangerous conditions and without the proper fall protection.
When a construction worker is injured due to the negligence of their company or another party, they have a legal right to compensation for their damages. Multiple laws address an employer’s legal obligation to provide a safe work environment, including the following:
- 1910.28(a) – “Requires employers to provide protection for each employee exposed to fall and falling object hazards…the employer must ensure that all fall protection and falling object protection required by this section meet the criteria in § 1910.29.”
The attorneys at Block O’Toole & Murphy understand workers’ rights and are dedicated to helping those who have suffered due to another party’s negligence. Our lawyers work tirelessly to seek justice for victims of construction accidents and achieve results, including a $10,875,000 jury verdict for a union worker who suffered massive internal injuries after he fell from a Brooklyn rooftop and was impaled by uncovered steel rebar. Additionally, a $4,000,000 settlement for a worker who sustained a burst fracture at the L1 level of his spine that required surgery after falling from the slippery roof of a condominium.
If you or someone you know was injured in a construction accident, it is important that you have the right construction accident lawyers on your side. Call the attorneys at Block O’Toole & Murphy at 212-736-5300 for a free legal consultation or fill out our online contact form.