Garden City Construction Injury Blog

New York state is seriously considering legalizing recreational marijuana. If this occurs, it could result in safety concerns for employers in many different industries. In 2016, more than 4,600 people who worked in the private sector died while on the job. Roughly 20 percent of those who died worked in the construction industry according to the Department of Labor (DOL). In addition, employers are worried that those who fail drug tests will need to be sent home.

This could result in a shortage of available workers who can do their job well and with safety in mind. Ultimately, an employer could lose money or face delays in completing a project. If a worker gets into an accident after using marijuana, it could result in an increase in workers' compensation claims. This added cost could compound the problems caused by a lack of productivity from those who may use the substance outside of work.

Being on scaffolding is a very common part of construction work. Many of the construction workers here in New York do work tasks on supported scaffolds, suspended scaffolds or scaffold-like equipment (such as aerial lifts).

Unfortunately, workers sometimes suffer injuries while on these structures. Scaffolding injuries can have major implications for a worker’s life and future. So, getting fair compensation to help cope with these ramifications can be very important for victims of such injuries.

The New York City construction worker is one of the iconic images of the American working class. These hard-working individuals are the backbone that keeps the city standing upright, as well as the force that keeps it expanding. Construction is a physical job that carries an element of risk with it at every turn. And while safety is always a key concern on a jobsite, accidents do happen.

That was the scene earlier this summer in Morningside Heights, a neighborhood in Manhattan. According to NBC New York, construction worker Angel Ezpinoza was repairing the façade of a building at Columbia University when a piece of scaffolding came loose. The piping dropped 12 stories before fatally striking him.