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Safety Protocols are Critical on Queens Construction Sites

May 5, 2020
Construction workers in New York

In January 2022, a man was killed in a construction site accident in Queens when his head was fatally struck by construction debris. He was 32 years old. According to the Department of Buildings (DOB), the man was pinned between a house and a dumpster. He was unloading a dumpster when his head was suddenly hit.

This, and many other construction accidents, could have been prevented if not for the negligence of the construction site managers, owners, contractors, workers, and related parties.

OSHA Violations and Construction Site Accidents

Each year, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) releases a report on the most commonly cited construction violations to let everyone know of the top construction hazards and help prevent deaths and injuries that can happen when workers, their employers, and other relevant parties fail to follow OSHA’s safety and health protocols.

Here’s a list of the 10 most cited safety violations after inspections of construction sites by OSHA:

  1. Fall Protection – Unfortunately, fall protection violation has topped the list for the past decade. Lack of proper fall safety training and protection contributes to most construction falls, the top cause of death among construction workers.
  2. Hazard Communication – Companies that store and use dangerous chemicals are required to communicate the chemicals’ safety and health risks to workers.
  3. Respiratory Protection – Respiratory issues can happen when workers breathe in air contaminants in gas, dust, fog, smoke, vapors, sprays, or fumes.
  4. Scaffolding – When employers don’t implement the proper procedures for designing, loading, and installing scaffolding, they risk injuring workers that work at high heights and causing accidents involving falling objects.
  5. Ladders – Violations involving ladders usually result from proper and insufficient safety training or utilizing the wrong kind of ladder for the job.
  6. Control of Hazardous Energy – Also called Lockout/Tagout or LOTO, this refers to vital safety measures that workers must follow to prevent injuries from dangerous energy found inside machinery.
  7. Powered Industrial Trucks – These violations involve commonly tractors, platform lift trucks, and forklifts. These industrial vehicles must only be utilized for their designated purpose, maintained regularly, and operated only by licensed operators.
  8. Fall Protection Training – Employers must ensure that all workers know when they need fall protection, how to use it, and how to inspect the protective equipment to make sure that it’s safe and compliant with OSHA standards.
  9. Face and Eye Protection – Thousands of construction workers suffer preventable eye injuries every year. Employers must provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect workers from face and eye injuries.
  10. Machine and Machinery Guarding – Employers are responsible for ensuring that their employees are trained to utilize dangerous machines properly.

Discuss Your Case With a Queens Construction Accident Lawyer Now

Far too many preventable deaths, illnesses, and injuries continue to happen on construction sites throughout New York. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a construction site accident, whether as a worker or a bystander, you deserve to get compensated fairly for your damages. Get in touch with Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman, P.C., to speak with our Queens construction accident lawyer today. Arrange a free review of your case by calling 212-285-3300 or reaching us online.

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