MANHATTAN, NY – Firefighters rescued a pair of window washers from a Financial District skyscraper after the suspended scaffold they were standing on broke and left them dangling halfway up the 34-story building.
People reports that the New York City Fire Department was tipped off to an incident developing at 250 Vesey Street at approximately 9:10 a.m. Monday. Engine 10 and Ladder 10 arrived at the scene less than five minutes later, and firefighters were soon lowering safety lines to the stranded washers. Working from inside, they cut through the building’s glass cladding and hoisted the workers to safety.
Paramedics evaluated the window washers at the scene. Both refused additional medical attention.
All told, the rescue operation took about 40 minutes, which FDNY Lieutenant John Tobin of Rescue 1 credited to the department’s training and coordination.
Common causes of scaffolding accidents
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), approximately 2.3 million workers, or 65% of those employed in the construction industry, work on scaffolds frequently. OSHA estimates that there are 50 deaths and 4,500 injuries per year in accidents involving scaffolding.
Some of the most common causes of scaffolding accidents include:
- Overloading the scaffolding
- Failure to adequately secure scaffolding to the building
- Broken pins
- Improper installation of the base plates
- Defective or missing platform planks
- Failing to install a base plate
- Failure to install cross-braces
- Failure to install toe board or guard rails
- Slick or otherwise unsafe platforms
Not only are workers who are performing their duties on scaffolding at risk of injury, but those who assemble and disassemble the scaffolding are also at risk of severe injury or death as well. It is vital that every member of the team exercise adequate care and caution when installing scaffolding to prevent serious accidents.
Contact Our Construction Accident Law Firm in Bronx, NY
For more than 30 years, the New York scaffolding accident attorneys at Oresky & Associates have put their knowledge, skills, and resources to work for injured workers in New York. Whether you were a window washer, a construction worker, or another professional working on scaffolding, we can help you if you’ve been hurt. We are committed to getting you the fair compensation you deserve if you’ve been hurt, and our satisfied clients will tell you that we have the experience to get the job done. We’ve recovered more than $400 million on behalf of our clients, so trust us to handle your case.
If you need legal assistance, contact the Bronx construction accident lawyers at Oresky & Associates, PLLC at your nearest location to schedule a free consultation.
We have two convenient locations in New York:
Oresky & Associates, PLLC – Bronx Office
149 E 149th St
Bronx, NY 10451
(718) 993-9999
Oresky & Associates, PLLC – Queens Office
104-09 Roosevelt Ave
Queens, NY 11368
(347) 507-3884
