Construction work in New York is dangerous. When workers are placed in risky positions, sometimes thousands of feet up, it is expected that owners of construction companies will have safety measures in place. In fact, it is the law for owners to provide certain standards of protection for their workers. Recently, a construction company owner allegedly cut corners to save money, resulting in the wrongful death of an employee. The owner is now facing criminal charges.
The business owner is charged with recklessly cutting safety corners, which resulted in a 50-year-old man falling to his death. Apparently, the business had been warned on three occasions to provide guardrails and handrails to prevent falls from the six-story building. The wire cable fences improperly installed as a safety measure left several feet of unprotected work space near the edge. Workers pouring and smoothing concrete were not provided with harnesses when they were forced to step over the fence to reach the edge.
On the morning of the accident, workers were on the sixth floor pouring concrete near the edge outside of the wire fencing. Using a smoothing rake, a man walked backward as he spread the concrete. Unaware that he had reached the edge of the building, the man stepped off and fell to his death. The owner of the construction company is facing eight charges, including second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.
Meanwhile, the loss the worker’s family feels is surely immeasurable. The cost of funeral expenses and loss of income do not come close to the personal grief in the face of this preventable tragedy. Families in New York who are dealing with the wrongful death of loved ones due to the negligence of employers may seek the advice of motivated attorneys who will fight for the compensation they deserve.
Source: brooklyneagle.com, “Construction company owner indicted for manslaughter”, June 6, 2016