Construction workers’ accidents: 12-foot fall claims man’s life

Too many New York construction workers lose their lives because they were not provided with appropriate protective equipment on the job. Falls from elevated positions form a significant percentage of fatal construction workers’ accidents. It is alarming that many of these deaths were preventable by compliance with prescribed safety regulations.

One such accident resulted in the death of a 55-year-old Ronkonkoma man on a recent Tuesday. It was reported that the incident occurred shortly before 9 a.m. at an oceanfront construction site in East Hampton. The man was working on the second floor level of the building when he reportedly lost his footing and fell a distance of 12 feet. It is not known whether he was wearing a safety harness.

He landed on a concrete floor and suffered critical injuries. Reportedly, weather conditions prevented a life-flight medical service, and the man was rushed to a hospital by ambulance. Sadly, the victim succumbed to his injuries after his arrival at the hospital. As is common after lives are lost in workplace accidents, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will likely launch an investigation to determine whether the construction company’s failure to comply with safety regulations caused this man’s death.

When deaths occur in construction workers’ accidents in New York, surviving family members may pursue claims for financial relief. They may file death benefits claims with the state’s workers’ compensation insurance program for help with the expenses related to end-of-life arrangements. The covered dependents may also receive further financial assistance in the form of a financial package as wage replacement to cover living expenses for a predetermined period after the death of their loved one.

Source: abc7ny.com, “Construction worker killed in fall at oceanfront East Hampton site“, May 31, 2016