Safety Harnesses May Not be Enough If Scaffolding Collapses
A scaffolding accident lawyer recognizes falls are one of the top causes of workplace injuries for New Yorkers who work on construction sites. Scaffolding can be extremely dangerous when it is not properly assembled or when certain safety precautions are overlooked.
Unfortunately, one recent accident revealed how even safety harnesses used to prevent falls are not always going to be enough to protect employees. That’s why it’s so important that every precaution be taken.
Scaffolding Collapse Leads to Three Deaths
Insurance Journal reported on a scaffolding accident that left three workers dead and another worker injured but in fair condition.
The accident occurred on a high-rise construction project in North Carolina. A mast climber scaffold was being used to construct the building. This type of scaffold moves up and down the facade of a building, making it possible for workers to perform work on different floors.
The mast climber scaffolding was being dismantled at the time of the accident because it was no longer being used for the project. There were three workers on the scaffolding in the process of disassembling it when a piece of the scaffolding fell off at around 11 a.m. The area below where the scaffolding had been cordoned off to prevent people from walking below where the work was being performed.
The scaffolding appeared to have fallen off because one of the tracks that the scaffolding moved on snapped off several stories above ground. The scaffolding, the track and the men fell approximately 200 feet.
An accident witness who contacted 911 to report the incident said it appeared at least one of the men had a safety harnessed attached to him. The problem was the safety harness was likely attached to the scaffolding. This means when the scaffolding itself fell, the worker who was dismantling it and attached to it fell with it. So while the proper safety equipment was used, it was not used properly.
The state Department of Labor is investigating the incident in order to determine exactly what went wrong. The scaffolding was provided by a company called Associated Scaffolding, which the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) records indicate has twice been issued serious safety violations in the state. A citation was issued in 2007 related to access equipment for scaffolding platforms. Another citation was issued in 2008, this time for a violation related to the storage of welding material.
The scaffolding contractor was a subcontractor. The construction company doing the work has had 20 past inspections in the state over the past decade and was cited for only one violation, which was not considered a serious one.
The incident was a tragic workplace accident, but unfortunately is one of many instances in which a scaffolding malfunction has resulted in a lost life.
Safety harnesses attached to scaffolding are not going to be effective at saving workers if the scaffolding itself collapses and there need to be more protections in place for workers under these conditions to prevent this type of tragic incident from occurring.
If you have suffered injury in New York, contact the Law Offices of Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP today by calling (800) 692-3717.
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