Scaffolding Falls onto Hotdog Vendor in Brooklyn

Scaffolding falls onto hotdog vendor

BROOKLYN, NY – According to the nypost.com, a hot dog vendor was struck by falling scaffolding and injured in Brooklyn on Monday, February 18, 2019. The scaffolding hit the victim in the head.

The vendor has worked at the location for several years. The incident took place at about 3:20 in the afternoon when he was hit by a temporary wooden wall that was part of a construction project.

A witness and fellow vendor said that there was a loud noise and then the victim complained of having something on his head. The victim was brought to the New York Methodist Hospital.

The wall that fell was made of plywood, and it served as a barrier blocking pedestrian traffic from the site.

The FDNY has now dismantled the wall. The Department of Buildings issued the construction company a citation for its failure to safeguard the site. The company was issued a partial stop-work order as a result of the incident.

Construction is the most dangerous private industry for workers. Construction sites create many hazards including heavy machinery, height, electrocution risks, and falling objects. These sites are investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Many construction-related accidents are the result of safety violations and would be entirely avoidable if everyone carefully followed safety rules at these work sites.

Scaffolding creates risks to people on or near construction sites. About 65 percent of workers in the construction industry work on some form of scaffolding. Accidents involving scaffolding cause about 4,500 injuries and around 60 fatalities each year in the United States. OSHA says that these accidents could be prevented through compliance with the administration’s safety standards.