Falling bricks are a hazard for New Yorkers
On Monday December 7, 2015 the police closed several blocks on the Upper East Side of Manhattan after bricks fell from the facade of a condominium building more than 30 stories high, on East 63rd Street. The New York Times reported that the “site of the accident, the St. Tropez condominium at 340 East 64th Street, had been undergoing some exterior renovations. No workers were believed to be there when the incident unfolded at around 10 p.m., and miraculously, city officials and residents said, no pedestrians or residents were injured. But the impact of the accident was still being felt on Friday, as much of the area was still closed to traffic, and basic services were upended.”
When an exterior of a building is undergoing any kind of renovation, including the pointing or repointing of a brick, New York State requires that certain protections be put in place not only for the protection of construction workers but for the general public as well. The law requires that “every area, building or other structure where construction, demolition or excavation work is being performed shall be so constructed, shored, equipped, guarded, arranged, operated and conducted as not to endanger any person passing by on any sidewalk, street, highway or other public or private thoroughfare.” The safety measures required include the use of railings, fences, barricades, sheeting and shoring, sidewalk sheds, temporary walkways and temporary roadways.
If you or a loved one has sustained a serious injury because a work site was not properly protected, you should consult our skilled and experienced construction accident attorneys. Our team of construction accident attorneys have been protecting not only the rights of construction workers but also members of the general public who have been hurt when passing by a construction project because the work site was not properly protected. We will evaluate the details of your case and thoroughly investigate the accident to ensure that you or your loved one receives maximum financial compensation. Please contact O’Dwyer & Bernstien promptly at 212-571-7100 for a free consultation.
