New York Caught Between Hazards Accident Lawyers
Caught in-between hazards are one of OSHA’s fatal four for construction workers, and they are as deadly as they are terrifying. These accidents involve being either caught in a massive machine or being caught in-between two massive, unyielding forces, and the inherent danger of these situations is self-evident. If you’ve been hurt on the job as a construction worker, call an experienced NYC personal injury attorney today.
OSHA Weighs In
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) shares that caught in-between hazards are most closely associated with excavation work, including cave-ins. Other categories of caught in-between hazards include:
- Unguarded machinery that pulls in body parts
- Working or moving within the swing radius of construction equipment like cranes
- Being caught between a fixed object and a piece of construction equipment
These are all potentially deadly accidents, and taking the necessary precautions at both the employer and employee level is paramount.
Hazards Related to Excavations and Trenching
Construction workers who are engaged in excavations and trenching are at twice the risk of being killed on the job as other construction workers are – and construction work is extremely dangerous, to begin with. Excavations are vulnerable to cave-ins, which can crush or suffocate anyone working in the vicinity. Cave-ins are most common when any of the following apply:
- When the soil is unstable
- When there is water involved in the excavation
- When there are weather changes, such as heavy rain, melting snow or ice, or freezing temps
- When there are excess vibrations from trucks, machinery, traffic, or trains in the area
- When the sides of the excavation bear too much weight from spoils (excavated materials), excavation equipment, tools, and/or vehicles
Don’t Be Caught In
OSHA reports on further caught-in risks that include:
- Caught Between a Vehicle and Object – These accidents are often the result of being caught between a moving construction vehicle like a forklift and a solid, unyielding object like a structure or wall. They can also be the result of being hit by a swinging apparatus like a crane.
- Caught in Unguarded Machinery – These accidents happen when a construction worker’s clothing or body part gets caught in an unguarded portion of a powerful machine.
- Caught in a Machine or Piece of Equipment – This involves being caught in the machine itself and is an extremely dangerous scenario.
- Caught Between Objects – These accidents often involve objects that fall and trap construction workers or involve construction workers being thrown from vehicles and trapped between objects in the process.
You Need an Experienced NYC Personal Injury Attorney on Your Side
If you’ve been injured in a caught in-between accident on the construction site, it’s a serious situation that requires serious legal attention. The formidable NYC personal injury attorneys at Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman are proud to continue our firm’s time-honored tradition of successfully guiding claims like yours toward their most favorable resolutions. Your rights and rightful compensation are too important not to contact or call us at 212-285-3300 for more information today.