On Monday, July 6, 2020, a Long Island construction worker was seriously injured when he fell 25 feet into a large foundation pit in Glen Head, New York. According to Nassau County Police, it happened around 11:15 a.m. at the construction site on 162 Linden Lane. An emergency team pulled the unidentified 67-year-old man out of the pit using ropes and a stokes basket, which are commonly used as rescue stretchers. He was then flown to a nearby hospital with head and body injuries.
There is no word yet on the exact cause of the accident. A thorough investigation will be required to determine if the proper safety measures were put into place or if there were other factors. We hope the worker makes a full and speedy recovery after this frightening accident.
Nassau County has been at the center of recent construction-related accidents. This past January, two workers died in a sand wall collapse at a construction site a mile southwest from the site of this incident. In May of this year, a Nassau County worker suffered a serious head injury after also falling 25 feet into a pit. Additionally, just last week two construction workers fell 25 feet after their makeshift scaffold collapsed, killing one worker, and seriously injuring the other.
Falls are one of the most common construction work dangers and account for more deaths than any other hazard. Workers can fall from ladders, roofs, harnesses, and scaffolding. Building contractors and subcontractors must follow the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fall protection guidelines to ensure workplace safety for laborers. Some of these guidelines include:
- Make a fall prevention plan
- Make sure personal fall protection systems are used such as guardrails, safety nets, harnesses, and lanyards
- Make sure appropriate training to explain job hazards is provided
Unfortunately, there are many instances in which construction sites don’t follow these guidelines. If you have been injured at work, whether from a construction site fall or another accident, you are not alone. Here are a few tips for what to do if you are injured at work:
- Notify your supervisor so an official written report can be made
- If possible, take a photograph of the construction site where you were injured
- Seek medical attention for your injuries and follow your doctor’s instructions
- Contact a lawyer to discuss your legal options
The attorneys at Block O’Toole & Murphy have a stellar record of litigating construction accident cases. Select results for clients injured in construction accidents include:
- $12,000,000 settlement for a union worker who fell into a ventilation shaft on a subway extension
- $11,000,000 settlement for a foreman who fell three stories after stepping on an unsecured cover over a hole in the floor, leaving him permanently disabled
- $10,875,000 jury verdict for a union worker who suffered massive internal injuries, requiring multiple surgeries, when he fell and was impaled on an unguarded steel rebar
If you or a loved one has been injured on the job, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Call us at 212-736-5300 or fill out our contact form to speak to an experienced construction accident attorney today.