A 43-year-old worker was killed in a construction accident in Brooklyn after he was involved in a partial roof collapse. According to a report in the Brooklyn Paper, the victim, who has not been identified yet, was with other workers conducting repairs and installing a new refrigeration unit inside a rear addition to a closed steakhouse at 3223 Quentin Road the morning of June 5 when the roof caved in. Officials said emergency responders arrived on the scene within four minutes and found the worker trapped under a heavy slab of concrete. He was unconscious and unresponsive, NYPD officials said.
Firefighters used the “jaws of life” and specialized airbags to lift the concrete slab. FDNY Rescue Medics treated the worker on the scene before he was taken to an area hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The incident is being investigated by the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB), the Office of Emergency Management and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, police said. Two other workers, who were also in the building at the time of the collapse, were not injured, FDNY officials said. We offer our deepest condolences to the family members of the deceased worker.
Report Says Work Was Done Without Permits
The Brooklyn Paper examined city records, which show that the building, previously home to the shuttered T-Fusion Steakhouse, was cited for work without a permit in 2017 after DOB inspectors noted construction of two sheds at the back of the restaurant. Photos shared online by FDNY show the roof collapsed on a small addition attached to the rear wall of the main building.
DOB inspectors determined that the roof of the concrete extension had collapsed and that no permits for the work that was in progress had been issued. DOB has also issued a full stop-work order and full vacate order on the property as well as an emergency order to seal the building in the interest of public safety, the Brooklyn Paper reported. The building’s owner has been cited for doing work without a permit and for failure to maintain the structure, according to the article.
Dangers of Roof Collapse
Roof collapses are often the result of structural failure, overloading, or inadequate safety measures. During the building phase, incomplete or unstable roof structures are especially vulnerable to collapse if not properly supported or braced. Temporary supports can shift or fail due to strong winds, excessive weight from materials or equipment or design flaws.
Weather conditions, such as heavy rain or snow accumulation, can increase the risk of collapse if water pools or materials become saturated. Poor planning or lack of coordination among subcontractors may also lead to overloaded roofs when too many workers or materials are placed in one area.
The danger extends not only to construction workers on the roof but also to those working below, who may be struck by falling debris or trapped under rubble. Common injuries include fractures, head trauma, spinal injuries and in many cases, death. To prevent roof collapses, construction companies, contractors and property owners/managers must follow OSHA guidelines, ensure proper load distribution, conduct regular inspections and use engineered bracing systems.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Workers injured in construction accidents can bring civil actions against the construction company, contractor and property owner/manager, etc. responsible for the safety of the jobsite. Construction accident injuries can be debilitating and sometimes, even catastrophic or fatal. A construction accident victim can seek workers’ compensation benefits from his or her employer. In addition, workers and their families may be able to file a third-party lawsuit for substantial money damages against a number of parties, and thus have two sources of compensation.
Third-party claims are filed against parties other than the employer or co-employees and may include general contractors, sub-contractors, building owners, managing agents, construction companies, etc. In cases where a worker dies from injuries suffered on the job, surviving family members may seek death benefits through workers’ compensation and/or file a wrongful death claim against a third party.
If you have suffered injuries in a construction-related accident, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
Our law firm recovered $3,375,576 for a construction worker (an undocumented immigrant) who was injured on the job — one of the highest construction case settlements in New York that year. Our law firm also recovered $3,000,000 for a man who fell and suffered two broken legs when he walked into an open elevator shaft. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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Source: https://www.brooklynpaper.com/man-dies-roof-collapse-marine-park/