Each year, thousands of new building permits are issued in New York City and Westchester County, and heightened construction activity also raises the potential for construction-related accidents, injuries, and fatalities. New York construction sites are among the most hazardous in the country, and workers are constantly at risk of injury due to heavy machinery incidents, falling from heights, electrocution, and more.
According to New York City’s 2022 Construction Safety Report, worker falls remain the leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries on construction sites in the city, with fatal falls doubling between 2020 and 2022. Other common accidents leading to injuries involve falling objects or material, mechanical equipment issues, and scaffold or shoring collapses. Understanding which jobs carry the highest risks can help injured workers recognize when unsafe conditions may have contributed to an accident.
Top 10 Most Dangerous Construction Jobs
1. Ironworkers / Steel Erectors
Ironworkers and steel erectors install metal to form and support structures, such as buildings, bridges, and roads. They secure materials with bolts and welding tools, ensuring stability. However, these tools are highly dangerous, and burns from welding equipment can cause serious damage. Additionally, falls from scaffolding and crush injuries from heavy steel beams can cause catastrophic injuries.
2. Roofers
On construction sites, roofers are responsible for installing, repairing, and replacing the roofs of buildings. While their work is essential, roofers have one of the highest rates of injuries and fatalities of all construction workers, and constantly working at heights puts roofers at a high risk of falls. Roofers may also be at risk of burns from hot roofing materials and lacerations from roofing tools.
3. Crane Operators
Crane operators are responsible for lifting and moving heavy materials on construction sites, using cranes to position materials in the right spots on a structure. Heat stress and fatigue are significant risks for crane operators, who often spend extended periods in poorly ventilated crane cabs. Additionally, they may fall when entering or exiting the equipment or be struck by a falling object, which can result in injuries. Crush injuries from crane collapses and electrical shock from contact with nearby power lines pose additional threats.
4. Electricians
Electricians on construction sites install electrical systems to provide power and lighting to residential buildings, commercial facilities, and industrial plants. The greatest risk on the job for electricians is electrocution and electric shock when dealing with live wires and high-voltage equipment, which can be fatal. Burns and falls from ladders or scaffolding can also cause injuries for these workers.
5. Demolition Workers
Demolition is the process of dismantling or destroying existing buildings or sections of them. Demolition workers remove fixtures, fittings, and doors from these buildings before knocking down the structure and removing the debris. These workers face hazards like dust, structural instability, and fires, as well as the unpredictability of structural collapse. When demolishing older buildings, workers may come into contact with asbestos or other toxic materials. Demolition accidents can lead to injuries like crushes, lacerations, and respiratory distress.
6. Heavy Machinery Operators
Heavy equipment operators utilize machinery such as excavators, bulldozers, cranes, dump trucks, and forklifts on construction sites to handle materials during the construction of buildings, bridges, roads, and other structures. Due to the size and power of the equipment involved, accidents involving heavy machinery, such as rollovers or mechanical accidents, can result in fatal injuries. Workers may also be at risk of experiencing crush injuries, falls, and being struck, run over, or caught in or between heavy equipment.
7. Scaffolders
Scaffolders work to assemble and disassemble scaffolding and other temporary structures that other workers use to access high areas of buildings safely and securely. Falls are the primary risk for these workers, especially when poor weather conditions and strong winds are present. Falling objects, contact with power lines, and structural collapses are also risks. Scaffolding accidents can lead to injuries like traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, and death.
8. Welders & Cutters
Welders and cutters use torches and other equipment to melt, fuse, or trim metal parts during construction. The extreme heat these torches emit is the greatest hazard for welders on construction sites, leading to burns and the inhalation of metal fumes. Additionally, welders and cutters can be exposed to ultraviolet radiation, which can result in burns, eye damage, as well as electrical shock and cuts. Cutters face the risk of lacerations and even amputation if something goes wrong with their saw blades or other cutting equipment.
9. Carpenters
Carpenters work to frame buildings using wood, plastic, and other materials. Measuring and cutting these materials can cause injuries like lacerations, amputations, and fractures from working with saws and power tools. During their work, framers and carpenters use various power tools, which can also inflict serious injuries.
10. General Laborers
General laborers are involved in various tasks around a construction site, assisting other workers, such as electricians, plumbers, and carpenters. This work exposes them to various hazards, and construction laborers face virtually every kind of danger on construction sites–including falls and being struck by equipment or objects. Back injuries, sprains, strains, broken bones, burns, and injuries from using tools or heavy machinery are common among laborers.
Our Advice If You Were Involved in a Construction Accident in New Yorkc
My advice to anyone who works in construction and was injured in a construction accident is to reach out to a lawyer as soon as possible. The laws governing construction accidents in New York are complex. Our team of construction accident lawyers at Lever & Ecker has handled numerous construction accident lawsuits and can help you understand the laws that impact your case and gather the necessary evidence to support your claim.
Were You Injured at a New York Construction Site? Contact Lever & Ecker, PLLC
If you or a loved one was injured in a New York construction accident, you may be entitled to pursue compensation through a third-party personal injury lawsuit against a construction site owner, general contractor, or other responsible party whose negligence led to the injury. Construction accident litigation can be complex, and identifying all liable parties is critical. We take a hands-on approach to every client’s matter, guiding them through each step of the process.
At Lever & Ecker, our award-winning New York lawyers have over 70 years of combined experience serving injured workers and their families throughout the state.With offices in White Plains, the Bronx, and Queens, we serve injured clients throughout New York, including all five boroughs of New York City, all of Westchester County, and the surrounding counties. We make home and hospital visits, so if you can’t come to us, we’ll come to you. To get started today with a free consultation, contact Lever & Ecker online or call one of our New York offices.
White Plains (Serving all of Westchester County): (914) 288-9191
Bronx: (718) 933-3632
Queens: (347) 391-6337
