The owners of construction companies in New York are responsible for the safety of employees. However, if they fail to enforce compliance with the safety regulations prescribed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, construction workers’ accidents are sure to happen. In one such a case, a worker recently fell from a scaffold in Onondaga County.
According to authorities, a 70-year-old worker was on a scaffolding structure to install siding on a residence when he fell from a height of between 12 and 15 feet. Reportedly he landed on an air conditioner unit, and he was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries not thought to be life-threatening. The reason for his fall might indicate a lack of supervision.
A spokesperson for the sheriff says a cable wire between a utility pole and the house was hampering the ability of the workers to do their jobs. Workers detached the cable and wound it around the scaffold, not noticing that they allowed it to hang too low over the road. When a school bus traveled past the house, the vent on its roof caught the cable, which yanked the scaffold and caused the worker to fall.
Although safety authorities say that most construction workers’ accidents are preventable, they will continue to occur as long as safety violations take place. Injured workers are entitled to pursue financial assistance with medical expenses and lost wages. Some find the claims process too challenging, and they choose to utilize the services of an experienced New York workers’ compensation attorney to navigate claims for them.
Source: syracuse.com, Freak accident involving Liverpool bus
