A scaffold collapse in lower Manhattan on Sunday, Nov. 19, trapped two people underneath a pile of debris and injured three others. According to a report in the New York Post, FDNY officials said the incident occurred around 11:40 a.m. when a strong gust of wind blew over the shed that was propping up the scaffold. The falling debris struck three pedestrians and two more were trapped inside. The shed was described as a high structure with the windows about 20 feet tall. The scaffold was also about 20 feet high. The exterior plywood panels “acted like a sail” and blew the shed over, officials said.
The five injured victims were transported to a local hospital. They are all expected to survive. A team of passersby tried to free those trapped underneath the debris before emergency personnel arrived at the scene. Neighbors said the shed seemed rickety and unstable right before it got blown off by the wind. It is not clear whether the scaffold or the shed holding up the scaffold were defectively constructed. The investigation is ongoing.
Construction Site Safety
The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) recommends safety measures for property owners and/or property managers when high winds are gusting in the city (speeds 45 mph and over). During such times, property owners and/or property managers are required to consider the safety of their buildings and construction sites including cranes, suspended and supported scaffolding, hoists and any other building accessories that may come loose from exposure to high winds. Structures that have been subject to deferred maintenance or those that are in precarious condition may be at greater risk. DOB suggests consulting a professional for advice on how to secure construction sites and buildings when there are high winds.
In order to protect construction sites, builders, contractors, developers and other parties should take several safety measures including, but not limited to:
• Tying down and securing material and loose debris at construction sites.
• Covering electrical equipment from exposure to the weather.
• Storing loose tools, oil cans, cables, electrical hardware etc. in a toolbox.
• Securing netting, scaffolding and sidewalk sheds.
• Suspending crane operations and securing crane equipment when wind speeds reach 30 mph or more.
• Suspending hoist operations and securing crane equipment when wind speeds reach 30 mph or more.
• Bracing and securing construction fences.
Liability Issues
When construction sites are not properly secured, workers as well as pedestrians can end up suffering significant or even fatal injuries. This type of hazard has caused a rising concern in New York City over the last few years. A 2015 report from the Department of Building showed that in the five years prior to 2015, 59 people were struck by falling debris at city construction sites. The numbers were on the rise at the time with 27 percent of those victims having suffered their injuries due to incidents that occurred between January and September of 2014. A 37-year-old woman was killed in 2015 after being hit by a piece of flying plywood on West 12th Street while walking past a condominium construction site.
DOB reports show that pedestrians were struck by falling glass, and splashed with concrete from another construction site while walking down the street. Sidewalk sheds are a big part of the problem as well. Sheds that are not properly constructed or maintained may give way, posing a serious threat to passersby. Such collapses may result in major injuries including head injuries, lacerations, internal organ damage, etc.
In such cases, injured bystanders or pedestrians may be able to file a lawsuit against a number of parties including general contractors, sub-contractors, building owners, managing agents, construction companies, etc. Injured victims can seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, hospitalization, cost of rehabilitative treatment, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Individuals who have lost loved ones in these types of incidents may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit against at-fault parties seeking compensation as well.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Whether you are a worker or a bystander who has been injured in a scaffolding 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.
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 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://nypost.com/2017/11/19/several-injured-in-scaffolding-collapse/