Fatal Manhattan Crane Accident Under Investigation
Last week one construction worker was killed and four others injured when a crane collapsed at a worksite in Manhattan. According to the NY Times, the crane boom split in two, sending debris raining down on workers. Work was immediately halted while the accident is being investigated by numerous agencies.
The accident occurred at a Manhattan Transit Authority site, where they are working to extend the number 7 train. Following the collapse, the MTA ordered immediate inspections on the cranes at all of their work sites.
Thirty-year old Michael Simermeyer of Lawrenceville, N.J. was killed when the crane came tumbling down. One other worker remains hospitalized. The depth of the worksite was said to make rescue efforts more difficult.
In a weird twist of irony, the crane was due for inspection just two days after the accident. The last date of inspection was January 10 of this year when the boom was in use and therefore wasn’t inspected. Instead, at that time, only the control station below was looked at. Prior to that, the last full inspection was conducted in July 2011, where the entire crane was inspected and passed.
Reports indicate that initial investigations reveal there may have been defects with the hoisting mechanism of the crane, leading one of the cables to pop. According to the Wall Street Journal, these defects “should have been noticed by workers in the course of daily operation of the crane.” It isn’t unusual to see workers blamed in situations like this, when proper safety inspections may have caught the issue before it caused a tragic accident.
The last fatal crane accident in the city occurred in 2008, when two crane accidents killed nine people. Following those two accidents, new safety regulations were put in place for crane operations in the city. Unfortunately, MTA job sites are not required to abide by these new policies.
Construction accidents are common, and likely happen on a daily basis. While the majority of accidents result in minor injuries, some are far more serious.
What makes these accidents so tragic is that the accident victim is simply trying to earn an honest living. After a construction accident, however, they are often out of work for an extended period of time and unable to do the most basic of things.
When you are hurt in a construction accident, you might be entitled to worker’s compensation. But you could be compensated beyond this from the parties deemed responsible for your accident. Whether your employer didn’t adhere to safety regulations or if the equipment was faulty, someone can be held responsible for your injuries.
If you’ve been injured in a construction accident, contact Omrani & Taub today. We can help you during this difficult time and work towards getting you the compensation you deserve. Call 212-529-7847 (212-LAWSUIT) today.
