Debris Falling on Work Sites

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) uses the term “fatal four” to describe the top four causes of accidental death on construction sites. These construction accidents include those where workers fall, are crushed in or between objects, are hit by debris or machines, or are electrocuted.

These injuries account for nearly 59% of construction worker accidents. Across all industries, falling, flying, or swinging objects killed over 140 workers and injured thousands more. These accidents can happen to workers in any setting, from warehouses to offices.

If you’ve been injured by debris falling on a work site in Queens, New York, contact us at Oresky & Associates, PLLC for a free consultation at (718) 993-9999.

How Our Queens Construction Accident Lawyers Can Help Recover Compensation for Injuries Caused By Falling Debris

Oresky & Associates, PLLC was founded in 1992. Over the past 30 years, our Queens construction accident attorneys have recovered over $400 million in compensation for our clients.

Hiring our Queens, NY legal team for help after a construction accident means you’ll have someone to:

• Investigate the cause of your accident and identify who may share liability
• Evaluate your options for compensation, including a workers’ compensation claim and/or personal injury case
• Negotiate with insurance companies and others while you focus on recovering and healing
• Consult industry experts when necessary
• Represent you in all hearings and court proceedings

A falling object can cause fatal or catastrophic injuries, including paralysis or permanent brain damage. Contact Oresky & Associates, PLLC for a free initial consultation to discuss your construction accident and the compensation you might be entitled to under the law.

How Common Is Debris Falling on Work Sites?

OSHA has a category of workplace accidents called “contact with objects and equipment.”

This category sounds harmless, but it includes accidents where workers are:

• Run over by vehicles
• Crushed by runaway rolling objects
• Suffocated by collapsing trenches or tunnels
• Hit by falling debris

This category of accidents accounts for about 17% of worker deaths. Within this category, OSHA has two sub-categories: caught by or between objects and struck by an object.

The sub-category of being struck by an object makes up about 10% of total worker deaths. While this does not seem like much, this means over 400 workers die every year when struck by an object.

Overview of Debris Falling on Work Sites in Queens, NY

Materials, equipment, tools, scaffolding sections, and crane parts can fall on a construction site. In a warehouse or even an office storeroom, boxes or shelving can fall onto workers. These falling objects pose a serious threat of injuries or deaths for workers.

How Falling Debris Injures Workers

Debris falling on a work site can injure workers in several ways, including:

Falling on Workers

Objects can fall on workers and fracture bones and damage soft tissue.

The most serious injuries from falling objects include a fractured skull, broken neck or back, and crushing injuries, which can result in:

• Death
• Paralysis
• Brain damage
• Shattered bones

Objects can fall on a work site if they are not properly secured while working on roofs or upper floors. They can also fall when structures, like scaffolds or cranes, collapse. And workers can drop objects, such as tools, onto co-workers.

Rolling Over Workers

Objects do not need to fall on top of you to injure or kill you. Pipes and logs can roll after hitting the ground; these objects can run over you and crush your body.

These accidents often happen while hoisting building materials. The chain or strap could break or slip. Or the hoist or crane could malfunction. The operator could make a mistake and drop the object.

Trapping Workers

Debris might not kill workers directly. It could bury workers or cause structures to collapse. The collapse, in turn, could crush body parts or cause suffocation.

This type of falling debris can happen when tunnels or trenches collapse or when a mound of sand, dirt, or other material avalanches. These accidents can result from environmental conditions like rain or earthquakes or when construction companies fail to support these structures correctly.

Swinging and Flying Toward Workers

Swinging or flying objects can pose a danger to workers because they can move in any direction unexpectedly. Objects can swing wildly when a crane loses control over a load. Swinging objects can hit workers unexpectedly. It can also strike structures, like walls, scaffolding, or the crane itself, causing them to collapse.

Flying objects often result from building materials or tools that get ejected. Nails can get fired from a nail gun. Wood or metal can fly out of machinery. Shrapnel can burst from exploding fuel tanks.

Liability for Falling Debris on Queens Work Sites

Almost all New York employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance. After an on-the-job injury, workers can file a claim for medical and partial disability benefits.

Workers’ comp insulates your employer from a lawsuit for your injuries. But in some cases, injured workers can also pursue a third-party claim against parties other than their employer.

For example, you may have a valid case against:

• Safety equipment manufacturers for defective safety equipment
• Construction equipment and vehicle manufacturers for defective products
• Other construction companies for negligence on the work site

If you win your claim against a third party, you can seek compensation for all of your uncompensated losses, including wage losses, pain, and suffering.

Contact Our Queens Construction Accident Attorneys If You Were Injured By Debris Falling on a Work Site

Falling debris can cause fatal or non-fatal injuries to workers. To learn about your options for construction injury compensation, contact Oresky & Associates, PLLC.

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