White Plains Construction Injury Lawyer
Anyone who works in the construction industry knows that there are serious risks associated with the jobs on a construction site. As with any other employer who has a certain number of workers, New York construction companies are required to have workers’ compensation coverage that can provide benefits to injured construction workers in the event of an on-the-job injury. The New York Workers’ Compensation Board makes clear that workers’ compensation law in the state requires construction companies and other employers of construction workers to “obtain and continuously keep in effect workers’ compensation coverage for all their employees.”
Unless a business is exempt, it not only is required to have workers’ compensation coverage for construction workers in the event an accident happens, but the business is also required to post notice of workers’ compensation coverage for its employees. If you have questions about filing a New York workers’ compensation claim after getting hurt in a construction accident, you should seek advice from a White Plains construction accident lawyer as soon as possible.
Dangers of the New York Construction Industry
The dangers associated with construction work are well-known and well-documented. Indeed, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), accidents in the construction industry account for more than 20 percent of all fatal workplace injuries. The construction industry is known for the “fatal four,” which are injury types that are responsible for nearly 64 percent of all fatal construction worker accidents in the country. OSHA predicts that eradicating injuries caused by the “fatal four” would save more than 600 workers’ lives every year, not to mention the thousands of workers who sustain nonfatal injuries as a result of these often-deadly accidents.
The “fatal four” include the following:
- Falls (which account for nearly 40 percent of all fatal construction accidents);
- Struck-by injuries, in which workers are struck by objects (about 10 percent);
- Electrocutions (about 8 percent); and
- Caught-in/between injuries, or those in which workers are caught-in or compressed by equipment or crushed beneath equipment or structures (about 7 percent).
Keep in mind that many of the fatal four cause severe and debilitating injuries that are nonfatal but leave construction workers with lifelong injuries that prevent them from returning to work. When these accidents happen, it is important to file a workers’ compensation claim to seek benefits.
Common Safety Violations at New York Construction Sites
Employers are required to take steps to maintain safe workplace for their employees, including construction workers at inherently dangerous worksites. When employers are not careful, they can be cited with violations from OSHA. Some of the most commonly reported violations include:
- Failure to provide proper fall protection or to properly train employees in fall prevention;
- Failure to develop appropriate hazard communication standards;
- Scaffolding safety violations;
- Failure to provide respiratory protection;
- Failure to control hazardous energy;
- Ladder safety violations;
- Failure to properly maintain machinery or machine guards; and
- Electrical safety violations.
Seek Help from a White Plains Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Construction workers who get hurt on the job may be entitled to receive benefits by filing a workers’ compensation claim. The workers’ compensation claims process can be complicated, and it is important to work with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney in New York on your case. Contact the Law Office of Michael Lawrence Varon for more information.
