Thousands of New York construction sites have reopened after a hiatus caused by COVID-19, during what would’ve been National Construction Safety Week. Started back in 2014 to raise awareness of the industry’s commitment to safety, National Construction Safety Week has now been postponed to late summer or early fall as a result of COVID-19.
More than 5,200 construction projects have reopened in New York City, the city that was hit the hardest by the pandemic in the U.S. Statistics show that more than 18,000 people in New York have died from the coronavirus, and there are currently more than 313,000 reported cases.
More than a month after construction sites were deemed non-essential businesses, shutting down around 85% of sites, hundreds are opening back up. Construction is resuming because of lobbyists and labor groups who have argued that construction work is crucial to reviving the U.S. economy.
As a result of the resumed activity, many are now wondering how the construction industry can keep its workers safe from infection. There’s a relatively high risk of infection on construction sites, which often involve dozens of workers at a time and make social distancing challenging.
Proposed Safety Regulations
Though National Construction Safety Week has officially been moved from the first week of May, its organizers are still active and proposing construction site changes that can prioritize worker safety.
Some proposed changes include:
- Additional hand-washing stations and running water on-site
- Work schedules with staggered start and end times to prevent large groups of workers from congregating
- Markings on floors on sites and in elevators to promote social distancing
- Testing temperatures at the beginning of each workday
- New delivery handling processes to limit contact between workers
- Additional site security and entry tactics, like increased use of turnstiles
- Morning meetings to be held in smaller groups
- Discouraged congregations during lunch breaks
While construction workers already have to worry about becoming injured through falls, vehicle accidents, crane accidents, electrocution, and falling objects, COVID-19 is now an additional risk that workers face on a day-to-day basis.
If you’ve been injured in a construction accident or have been infected due to toxic exposure or asbestos, or COVID-19, it’s crucial that you seek medical attention immediately.
How Our Team Helps Construction Workers
After injury or illness, our lawyers help construction workers get back on their feet by investigating their accidents and determining liability. Whether your injuries were caused by a manufacturing problem or your company’s lack of training protocol, our team isn’t afraid to go up against employers and companies to achieve the compensation you deserve.
We can help you secure the following after an accident:
- Workers’ comp benefits
- Pay for medical bills, including hospital stays, surgeries, and prescription medications
- Compensation for lost wages after missing work
- Payment for funeral and burial costs after losing a loved one
Suffering from injuries can be an isolating experience, but we can stand by your side throughout the claims process.
Representing Our Valued Construction Workers & Their Families
Though construction is a work industry that accounts for the greatest amount of fatal accidents and injuries in the United States, that doesn’t mean you deserve to be injured, especially when your accident was caused by negligence. If you or someone you love has been seriously harmed, our construction accident attorneys can pursue justice on your behalf. Often, construction accidents are caused by the same companies that are tasked with keeping their workers safe. Those companies must be held accountable for their actions and compensate their victims. Belushin Law Firm, P.C. doesn’t rest until we achieve favorable results for our clients in need.
The construction accident lawyers at Belushin Law Firm, P.C. can fight for your rights to compensation after you’ve been injured in a construction-related accident. We can also help your family if a loved one was killed in a construction accident. Call us for a free consultation today at (888) 918-9890, or contact us online. We’re here for you 24/7.