Falls Construction Sites

Falls on Construction Sites May Cause Serious Injuries

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), falls are the leading cause of deaths in the construction industry. In 2015, for example, 364 out of 937 total deaths in construction resulted from falls. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that in New York City, these accidents accounted for 24 fatalities in 2015, a slight increase from the previous year.

Under New York’s Labor Laws, the risk of falling is known as a “gravity-related hazard,” a term that covers falling workers as well as falling objects like materials or equipment that could strike workers. Falls on construction sites may be caused by an owner’s and/or contractor’s failure to provide proper safety equipment or follow proper safety protocol. This could include:

1. Failure to provide fall safety equipment such as life lines and harnesses for a worker to tie off to;
2. Failure to provide safe ladders or scaffolds that do not collapse, shift or move;
3. Failure to use proper equipment to raise or lower heavy equipment or materials;
4. Failure to provide a safe work platform or provide railings or barriers to prevent a worker from falling;
5. Failure to ensure that sturdy barriers, ropes or safety devices are placed around openings, such as elevator shafts, stairwell openings, and other areas;
6. Failure to provide safety netting to protect construction workers from being hit by falling debris such as bricks during the course of demolition.