Workers in the New York construction industry are supposed to be protected from known hazards by their employers. Sadly, many employees do not enjoy that kind of protection. Some construction workers’ accidents occur in circumstances that involve safety violations. Compliance with safety regulations might have prevented the recent death of a 50-year-old worker.
According to a spokesperson for the Department of Design and Construction of the city, the worker was a member of a crew installing water mains and sewers in Staten Island. Reportedly, he was in the confined space of a utility hole where he was working with a chainsaw. While trying to saw through a pipe, it appears the chainsaw slipped and cut the worker’s hand and throat.
Co-workers tried to stop the blood flowing from the deep laceration. NYPD reported that the worker was rushed to a medical center, but he did not survive. It is not clear whether the worker received adequate safety training for the dangerous equipment and the hazardous space in which he had to work that day.
Safety authorities typically investigate fatal construction workers’ accidents. Regardless of the outcome of such investigations, the surviving family members of deceased workers may start the wheels rolling to seek financial assistance. An experienced attorney can help them to file death benefits claims with the New York workers’ compensation insurance program. Families are typically awarded benefits to cover the costs of end-of-life arrangements along with financial packages to make up for lost wages and ease the day-to-day burden of living expenses.
