Troy Construction Accident: 45-Year-Old Man Killed In Troy Roof Fall Accident At M & Sons Auto Service on Burden Avenue
TROY, NEW YORK (March 7, 2020) – A 45-year-old man has tragically died after falling from the roof of M & Sons Auto Service on Burden Avenue.
Troy police department officials are saying that the accident took place right before 7:00 p.m. on Friday. An unidentified worker was on the roof when he fell to the ground.
The worker sustained critical injuries and was transported in an ambulance to the hospital. Despite life-saving measures he later died at the hospital.
An investigation into the Troy roof fall accident remains ongoing at this time.
Liability In Troy Roof Fall Accidents
Falls are one of the leading causes of injury and death in the construction industry. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, “Out of 4,779 worker fatalities in private industry in calendar year 2018, 1,008 or 21.1% were in construction — that is, one in five worker deaths last year were in construction. The leading causes of private sector worker deaths (excluding highway collisions) in the construction industry were falls, followed by struck by object, electrocution, and caught-in/between. These “Fatal Four” were responsible for more than half (58.6%) the construction worker deaths in 2018, BLS reports. Eliminating the Fatal Four would save 591 workers’ lives in America every year.” Roofers, in particular, are at a higher risk of being involved in fall accidents.
According to EHS Today, “Fatal falls from roofs in residential construction sites were disproportionately high at 34 percent, considering that deaths from all causes in these construction sites made up only 18 percent of all construction fatalities. Small establishments employing 10 or fewer employees (1–10 employees) had a disproportionate share of fatal falls, with 67 percent from roofs and 62 percent from other causes of falls.” OSHA has outlined a number of measures that can be taken in order to help prevent fall accidents. These include but are not limited to:
- Workers should be given adequate training for best practices
- Manages should work to ensure that safety guidelines are being followed
- Workers should be provided with personal fall arrest systems (PFAS)
- Guardrails should be set up on scaffolds
Building owners and general contractors are held strictly liable for accidents involving workers injured from falls. New York Labor Law 240(1) “The Scaffold Law” covers all “gravity”related accidents. For example, the statute covers cases where workers fall from elevated heights or who are struck by falling objects. The statute will apply insofar as the worker fell from a qualifying “structure.” It’s important that evidence is properly maintained and collected after an accident.
The family of any victim that died in a roof fall accident may have legal recourse through a wrongful death claim. Damages in a civil claim can help cover lost wages, medical bills, funeral expenses, and pain and suffering. Potential beneficiaries in a civil claim may include the victim’s spouse, children, parents and siblings. A construction accident attorney can examine all of the facts of your case free of cost and let you know what your legal options are.
Investigating A Troy Roof Fall Accident
We at Pulvers, Pulvers & Thompson extend our deepest condolences to the family of the worker that died in Troy at the M & Sons Auto Service. Any person that may have seen what happened should reach out to OSHA as they continue their investigation. Safety should always be the top priority for every company. Fall accidents are largely preventable when OSHA regulations are being strictly followed. It is our sincere hope that measures will be put in place to help prevent additional accidents like this.
