New York construction site sees epidemic of safety violations

In just one of many incidents recently, a New York construction worker and three of his rescuers were injured after the worker became trapped in the muddy bottom of a subway tunnel that was under construction. Contractors at the construction site have been cited by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration 18 times in the past two years for a wide variety of safety violations.

In several cases, those violations include workers who were not wearing the proper safety equipment. One worker who did not have a safety harness fell a distance of 20 feet. Other workers were exposed to dangerous substances because they were not outfitted with the necessary protective clothing. At least three incidents at this construction site are the focus of an ongoing OSHA investigation.

Workplace accidents can occur even when employers exercise due caution, but where there is a failure to follow basic safety procedures, unsafe working conditions are the result. Workers on these unsafe job sites may be exposed to unnecessary risks and serious injuries, including back and neck injuries that result in lost time from work.

Workers who sustain an injury on the job may face an unsure future. Workers' compensation can cover the needs of an injured worker by providing some payments for medical expenses and a portion of the worker's lost wages.

Injured workers may not be aware of additional compensation they may be entitled to pursue in certain situations. In the case of a construction site injury, an experienced workers' compensation attorney can be consulted to review the case to determine if the worker might wish to seek additional recovery through a personal injury claim.