A 51-year-old man suffered fatal injuries in a construction accident in Chautauqua County, New York, after he fell off a roof. According to a news report, Chautauqua County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the Chautauqua County Institution the morning of April 23 reporting a fall victim. Deputies said the victim fell of the roof while working on a construction project. He was pronounced dead at the scene from his fall-related injuries. The incident is still under investigation. We offer our deepest condolences to the family members of this construction worker.
Roofers at Higher Risk of Injury and Death
Roofers or workers who are carrying out roofing installations and repairs face a high risk of injury and death. According to a report released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in December 2020, the number of roofing fatalities reported in 2019 was up 15% compared with 2018. A roofer on a residential or commercial worksite is approximately 15% more likely to die in a construction accident compared to someone employed in almost any other type of work.
According to the National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, roofers accounted for 111 out of 5,333 on-the-job injuries in 2019. This rise is cause for concern because in 2018, the roofing industry’s death rate was already at 51.5 per 100,000, making it one of the most dangerous professions. Death rates as a result of roofing accidents are also 13% higher among Hispanic or Latino workers, the highest it’s been since 1992 (when the report started being issued).
What Causes Falls from Roofs?
There are a number of reasons why falls from roofs occur. Here are some of the most common situations when these potentially deadly construction accidents occur:
Weather: Conditions such as high winds, slippery or slick roofs due to rain, snow or ice, etc. may potentially increase the risk of a roof fall. Construction companies and roofing contractors should safeguard workers by making sure there are clear, safe paths and by providing fall safety mechanisms.
Lack of proper access: Roof work requires construction workers and laborers to access different locations. Sometimes, workers may have to operate too close to the edge of the roof. When workers have to navigate obstacles to reach equipment and structures they need to repair, the situation can become dangerous very quickly. By providing them with roof walkways, handrails, ramps and stairways, such dangers can be significantly reduced.
Lack of training: Poorly trained workers are at a greater risk of falling from a roof. OSHA requires contractors and construction companies to provide a training program for each worker who might be exposed to such hazards in a language they can understand.
NY Law Protects Construction Workers
Construction workers in New York, including roofers, are covered by Section 240 of the New York Labor Law, which charges construction companies, contractors and other parties with the responsibility of providing workers with proper fall protection while constructing, demolishing, remodeling or doing other types of work such as roofing on structures. This law assigns strict liability for accidents to the parties responsible for assigning and managing the work.
Any worker — whether a roofer, ironworker, steelworker, carpenter, electrician, painter, bricklayer or any other type of laborer — who suffers a fall can seek workers’ compensation benefits. In addition, he or she may be able to file a third-party lawsuit for substantial money damages against a number of at-fault 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.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
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 and/or medical malpractice 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.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: https://www.yourerie.com/news/local-news/construction-accident-in-chautauqua-county-leaves-one-man-dead/