After numerous serious and fatal accidents involving private garbage trucks, the NYPD ran a week-long crackdown on the industry and pulled 132 of 142 inspected commercial sanitation trucks off the road for dangerous infractions such as malfunctioning brakes, low tire pressure and defective steering columns.
Against NY's Scaffold Law? Worker Safety Is a Basic Human Right
Cutting corners at the risk of employees' lives? Shocking, but it's been argued as recently as late last month.
MTA Rejects Ads From Transit Workers On Workplace Dangers
Unsafe Working Conditions: Prevention Is Key
OSHA Releases The 10 Most Frequently Violated Safety Standards
Has it become all too predictable? OSHA released its list of the 10 Most Frequently Violated Safety Standards and the results remain the same when it comes to construction. In the construction world, safety often boils down to fall protection, taking proper precautions around electrical hazards and making sure that workers are safe around machines. It sounds simple and maybe it should be. But, the same problems seem to surface every year.
Construction Worker Tragically Killed On Set Of "Blade Runner" Movie Sequel
We are following the tragic story of a 28 year old construction worker who was killed last Friday, August 26th, in Budapest. The accident occurred when the young man, whose name has not yet been released, was dismantling a set during the filming of the sequel of the 1982 action move "Blade Runner". Reportedly, the worker was taking down a platform, when it suddenly collapsed and fell onto him. The precise cause of the incident has yet to be determined.
5 steps you should take after a workplace accident
Accidents happen. At work. A lot. And they are not always minor. In fact more than half of private industry workplace injuries and illnesses reported are of a more serious nature.
Suing an employer for a workplace injury: it's rare, but it can happen
In our last post, we mentioned a recent report by the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health which suggested possible criminal prosecution for private sanitation companies who contribute to a worker's death because of indifference or willful disregard of a legal obligation. The suggestion is an interesting one, and raises the issue of what civil remedies there may be for workers harmed under such circumstances.
Report: private sanitation work particularly risky in New York City
Every industry, every job, involves some risk of harm, on some level. Granted, some industries and jobs present a greater risk of harm to workers than others. Construction, mining, and manufacturing, for example, certainly present a greater overall risk of harm to workers than hospitality, retail and white collar work. Here in New York City, one industry which involves significant risks for workers is private sanitation work.
Despite increased enforcement actions, major safety lapses at construction sites are common
We've previously detailed information about numerous construction-related accidents throughout New York City which illustrate the inherent and daily dangers that individuals who work at construction sites face. As evidence of these grave dangers, during 2015 alone, a total of 17 workers lost their lives at construction sites throughout the city.