When winter winds come gusting, those perched precariously on scaffolding above New York City streets face significant danger. That proved all too true last month for three Brooklyn construction workers who were injured when their scaffolding collapsed in winds that reached approximately 25 mph.
The accident occurred on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 2:36 p.m. as the workers labored to adjust and dismantle scaffolding sections in Williamsburg. The men were working near the roof of 535 Grand Street when a gust of wind collapsed their scaffold, the spokesperson for the New York City Department of Buildings reported.
The workers were on a “major” construction project to convert a building of three stories into a six-floor structure of apartments, the DOB spokesperson stated.
Injuries allegedly were only minor
According to city authorities, the men suffered only minor injuries in the collapse. All were taken by EMS to Bellevue Hospital Center for treatment and later released.
An online video indicates that the scaffold was totally buckled. After the scaffolding collapsed, firefighters worked to try to stabilize the shoring of the building under construction.
Crew cited in November for safety violations
At of the time that the story was reported by the New York Post, no citations had been issued and inspectors with the city’s Department of Buildings continued to investigate what caused the scaffolding to collapse.
However, in November 2019, the construction crew was issued a partial stop-work order for unsafe conditions. At that time, workers were erecting scaffolding on the roof of an adjacent structure. According to records on file with the city, the safety matter was apparently resolved satisfactorily.
But city records also indicate that residents lodged numerous complaints regarding the scaffolding. The disposition of those complaints is unknown.
Scaffold workers face many dangers
If you are a construction worker who erects scaffolding and works high above the city streets, you likely already are fully aware of the many dangers that you face at work each day. Construction crew bosses and company owners may encourage you to take safety shortcuts to decrease the amount of time it takes to complete complex building projects.
But those individuals are not the ones whose very lives are at risk toiling many stories above the New York City streets. If you were injured in a scaffolding accident here in New York, you could receive compensation for your injuries and other losses and damages.
