Four Facts About New York Scaffolding Accidents

Scaffolding Accidents

Scaffolding accidents are among the most dangerous incidents that occur at construction sites, often resulting in severe injuries or fatalities. These temporary platforms are essential for workers performing tasks at elevation, but they also pose significant hazards if not properly constructed, maintained or used. Falls from scaffolding are the leading cause of injury in such construction accidents and can lead to traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, fractures, or death.

Additionally, scaffolds can collapse due to overloading, faulty assembly, or structural failure, endangering not only the workers on them but also those below. In busy urban environments like New York City, the risks are even higher due to the density of work sites and pedestrians nearby. Despite strict safety regulations and inspection requirements, scaffolding accidents continue to occur, highlighting the critical need for proper safety measures, training and compliance to protect workers and the public from avoidable tragedies.

Here are four important facts to know about scaffolding accidents:

1. A Surge in Worker Injuries

In 2022, New York City saw 554 construction-related worker injuries, marking a 9.7% increase from the previous year (505 injuries in 2021). Although still below the prepandemic peak of 759 injuries in 2018, the rise reflects intensified construction activity — more permits were issued in 2022 than in 2021 — with citywide worksite incidents increasing in tandem. Notably, scaffold-related incidents contributed to this rise. Falls from scaffolding remain among the most frequent causes of serious injury on NYC job sites. While the number of injured workers represented less than 1% of the city’s hundreds of thousands in construction, it underscores the link between increased building activity and more accidents.

2. Falls: The Leading Cause of Fatalities

Though instances of worker deaths here are fewer, the consequences of such falls are severe. In 2022, 11 construction-related fatalities were recorded, which was an increase from nine in 2021. Historically, falls from elevations, including scaffolding, account for roughly half of all construction deaths in the state, and in NYC the fatality rate from elevated falls has consistently topped statewide levels. For perspective, in 2019 there were 24 construction fatalities due to falls, slips, and trips, with NYC alone experiencing 24 of those statewide fatalities . These figures make clear that falls, including those from scaffolds, are the most significant factor in New York City’s construction sector.

3. Scaffolding Collapses & Equipment Failures

Beyond falls, accidents arise from scaffold collapses and equipment breakdowns. A Department of Buildings review of statewide construction sites revealed that 25% of construction deaths involved scaffold falls. Common culprits include defective or improperly secured scaffold components — such as pins, planks, braces, guardrails — or excessive loads leading to instability or collapse. Nationally, OSHA estimates enforcing scaffold safety can prevent approximately 4,500 injuries and 50 deaths annually.

4. New York’s Scaffold Law

Since 1921, New York State’s Labor Law § 240, also known as the “Scaffold Law,” has imposed strict liability on property owners/managers and general contractors for elevation-related accidents. Under this law, injured workers need not prove fault in order to seek compensation for injuries and damages suffered in fall-related construction site accidents. In New York City, this law pairs with proactive measures. For example, the Department of Buildings performs thousands of annual inspections and, in response to rising incidents, launched “Zero Tolerance” safety sweeps in 2021. These sweeps inspected over 2,100 complex sites, halting work at 322 sites and issuing over 1,100 violations for noncompliance with safety protocols such as harness use and guardrails.

Contacting an Experienced Lawyer

Many construction workers in New York City such as roofers, ironworkers, steelworkers, carpenters, masons, bricklayers, painters, window washers, and electricians etc. tend to work from an elevation by using scaffolds, platforms, ladders etc.

Workers injured in scaffolding accidents and other construction accidents can bring civil actions against the construction company, contractor and property owner/manager, etc. responsible for the safety of the jobsite. 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.

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

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External link: https://www.nyc.gov/site/buildings/safety/construction-safety.page