Traffic was brought to a standstill yesterday as firefighters worked to rescue a construction worker who fell into a 25-foot hole.
The accident took place at a construction site at 83rd Street between Second and Third avenues on the Upper East Side. Here, a 32-story mixed-use building will soon feature 128 apartments. It took the rescue team only about 20 minutes to rescue the man, who appeared to be unconscious but alive on the scene.
Eyewitness reports say the worker had ripped pants and was covered in dust. The individual was taken by emergency medical services to New York Presbyterian Hospital for treatment.
The rescue operation was a daring spectacle viewed by a number of pedestrians. A firetruck ladder was used in tandem with a series of ropes and improvised pullies to lift the victim out of the hole on a stretcher.
A firefighter on the scene told FNTV in a video interview, “It was a complex rescue, but we had multiple units here, they worked in concert and everything went very smoothly.”
The same firefighter was questioned on the victim’s injuries and condition on the scene, “There were no major injuries, he was just packaged as a precaution, and they used the ropes to lift him out of the hole. He was treated as soon as we arrived, but he was stable and he is still stable on route to the hospital.”
The Danger of Construction Site Falls
A rescue such as this at a work site is not uncommon in New York City. According to OSHA, falls are the number one cause of fatal accidents on construction sites in America. It is chief among the Fatal Four reasons that construction workers lose their lives on the job. These include falls, struck by an object, electrocutions, and being crushed.
The CDC reports that in 2019, falls accounted for more than one in three (36.4%) of construction worker deaths in the United States. The total was 401 out of 991 fatalities; deaths that could have been prevented.
To prevent falls on construction sites, companies can work to make sure that safe conditions have been provided for all workers. Properly installed and inspected scaffolding, clearing trip hazards all over the site, and the construction of guard rails can all contribute to a safer workplace. In addition, companies should provide proper training to construction workers so that they can recognize danger signs before a fall happens.
The New York construction site injury lawyers at Block O’Toole & Murphy are proven experts at recovering compensation for workers who have been injured in a construction site fall. Results include a $12 million settlement for a worker injured in a 40-foot fall during subway tunnel construction and $7.4 million result for a construction worker who fell three feet onto a roof.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a construction site fall, get a free evaluation of your case by contacting us online or calling 212-736-5300. Our attorneys serve New York and New Jersey.