New York City is certainly no stranger to construction site injuries. However, a recent building boom has led to an increase in injuries across the city in the first seven months of 2018.
Now more than ever, construction workers in New York City must be especially aware of such dangers while on the job. A worksite injury can cause lifelong health complications and disability, as well as an inability to return to work and the resulting loss in wages.
Construction site injuries on the rise
The New York City Department of Buildings reported that in the first seven months of 2018, construction injuries in New York increased by approximately 18.4 percent over the same period in 2017. The actual number of injuries jumped from 386 in the first seven months of 2017 to 457 in the first seven months of 2018. Manhattan saw the most injuries out of all five boroughs.
The injuries correlate with a boom in building, according to a report by Dodge Data and Analytics, which said that New York City led the entire country in terms of new construction project starts. It said New York City construction starts were up a full 50 percent in the first half of 2018, even as the rest of the country saw declines in new construction starts.
New York construction injury types
There are many different types of construction injuries in New York City. The most common divide into four main categories: scaffolding and ladder collapse accidents; slips and falls; concrete and construction materials accidents; and work-related injuries for independent contractors.
The injuries that can result from construction site injuries include broken bones, back and neck injuries, concussion injuries, and even fatalities. It is important for construction workers who suffer injuries at their work sites to get informed about their rights under the law. If an employer is negligent in terms of providing appropriate safety standards on the job site, the construction worker may be able to seek compensation for medical expenses and even lost wages due to missed time off work.
