On Sunday, November 19th, a scaffold in Lower Manhattan collapsed, injuring six people. Bystanders rushed to clear wooden planks and metal sheets off of two people near the intersection of Broadway and Prince Street. One witness to the incident recalls seeing the collapse which sent wooden beams tumbling down to the street near the “R” and “W” trains’ subway stop.
FDNY Deputy Chief Joseph Lonino stated that the accident was caused when strong gusts of wind turned exterior plywood panels into “sails”, which caused the structure to blow over. Another witness noticed that the scaffold was not “good in the ground” and was slanted in the minutes leading up to its collapse, suggesting that it might not have been adequately secured.
The New York Labor Law contains provisions for worker’s injured while performing work at elevated heights who have not been provided with the proper saftey equipment. The law is designed to protect workers from unsafe work conditions and to impose a duty on owners and general contractors to ensure worker safety by providing the appropriate safety equipment.
If you or a loved one has been injured due to faulty construction, please contact our office for a free consultation.
