Blame it on a more vigilant Department of Buildings or increased pressure from New York construction accident attorneys. Statistics by the New York Department of Buildings show that 2010 was a very safe year in the construction industry,with a 28% drop in construction accidents in the city last year.
According to the report released by the Department of Buildings, there were 157 construction-related accidents in 2010, compared to 218 in 2009. There was also a decline in the number of injuries from construction-related accidents. In 2010, the total number of construction-related injuries was 165, compared to 241 in 2009. That was a one percent decrease in injuries.
2010 also saw four fatal construction accidents, and two of these were in Brooklyn. That was a dramatic 78% decrease from 2008, when there were 19 deaths in the construction industry. However, not all is rosy on the construction safety front. The four fatalities in the construction industry in 2010 was actually an increase over the previous year, when there were three construction accident-related fatalities.
The Department of Buildings report also indicates that inspectors have been busier enforcing safety regulations. There was a significant increase in the number of Stop Work Orders issued by Department of Buildings inspectors. Overall, more than 6700 complete and partial Stop Work Orders were issued by inspectors for unsafe working conditions at a construction site last year. Besides the Department of Buildings has been busy reworking legislation, and has implemented at least 25 new construction safety laws. These laws have led to the creation of new inspection units, as well as the establishment of safety education and awareness campaigns.
Obviously, more needs to be done. Just one day before the report was released; a concrete wall collapse in Queens killed one construction worker and injured three others. As long as employers continue to take shortcuts in safety, New York City construction accident lawyers will come across preventable deaths like these.