New Database Tracks Construction Accident Stats
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or NIOSH, has created a database of accident and fatality statistics from construction sites. This database is designed to help researchers more easily examine accident and fatality data in order to better see trends or problems in the industry. The researchers behind this database are hoping that "comprehensive research using FACE reports may improve understanding of work-related fatalities and provide much-needed information on injury prevention."
The Construction FACE Database
The Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation, or FACE, examines not only the cause of an accident, but also other relevant factors, including personal safety equipment use and availability as well as whether or not employees had received proper training to use said equipment. The statistics from this database show that more than half of those workers who lost their lives did not have access to a personal fall arrest system, which is a requirement for all construction sites in the United States. Roughly 20 percent of the fatalities occurred during the construction worker's first two months on the job. Approximately 42 percent of construction accident fatalities involved a fall.
Falls have always been a major contributing factor in construction worksite accidents. A lot of that time, it comes down to poorly used equipment or improperly used safety measures, such as scaffolding. According to New York State labor law 240, any job site that requires construction workers to work on scaffolding higher than twenty feet in the air must have a railing that is at least 34 inches high. All scaffolding must be able to carry four times the weight restriction listed to further prevent a fall. This means that any construction site that does not have scaffolding properly installed and securely in place is not only breaking the law, but also risking the lives of all of their employees in the process.
Construction workers deserve our protection
Construction workers are a vital part of our economy. Thanks to their hard work we have our homes, our schools and our places of employment. Every construction worker in New York City deserves to work in a safe environment. They also deserve to know that, should the unthinkable happen, they have the proper safety gear in place to prevent an accident from resulting in a fatality.
It is the responsibility of construction employers to ensure that every one of their employees has received the proper safety equipment and is adequately trained to use the equipment. Construction workers should not be losing their lives at the rate they are. Had workers received the best equipment and proper training, those fatalities listed in the database may not have occurred.
The NYC construction accident lawyers at Giampa Law firmly believe that every laborer should be protected by the best safety standards. If you or a loved one were injured on a job site due to improper training or inadequate safety gear, contact us today.
