Though experts state increases in construction work and incident reporting may contribute to the higher numbers, the data – which comprise only a fraction of the 2018 year – is alarming. That’s especially true given the efforts of City officials who have adopted a number of measures designed to protect construction workers and reduce accidents, injuries, and deaths on worksites.
These measures include improve oversight of project safety, higher fines for employers and others who violate workplace safety standards, and a new law requiring a minimum of 40 hours of safety training for all workers. The rise in construction site accidents despite these efforts suggests employers may not be doing enough to protect workers from construction accidents.
