Accident News Headlines

Fatal Scaffolding Accident in New York

Three New York contractors - a general contractor, a scaffolding and equipment supplier, and a subcontractor - have been cited with improperly erecting scaffolding and failing to train workers on the hazards of working with scaffolding after five workers died and ten more were injured. Proposed penalties total $159,350, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The scaffolding accident took place at 210 Park Avenue South in Manhattan, at a building that was undergoing restoration.

The general contractor on the project hired the scaffolding supplier to build the scaffolding and a subcontractor to perform the demolition and restoration work. Approximately 300 police and fire rescuers responded to the collapse. OSHA has proposed two alleged willful and four alleged serious citations against the scaffolding supplier, with a proposed penalty of $146,600, for erection of a scaffold that violated scaffold safety rules; for erecting a scaffold not designed by a professional engineer; and other violations of scaffolding and worker protection rules.

Serious citations, with a proposed penalty of $9,750, have been proposed against the subcontractor, including failure to train employees on various hazards, failure to require personal protective equipment, and other violations of safety and health protections. Serious citations with a proposed penalty of $3,000 have also been proposed against the general contractor for not providing falling object protection and failure to brace scaffold frames.