OSHA Issues 28 Safety Violations to Three Construction Contractors Over Electrocution Hazards at Long Island Building Site

The nation's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued 28 workplace safety citations to three contractors as a result of alleged electrocution hazards at a construction site located on Long Island. According to OSHA, workers for the three companies were placed in close proximity to live 13,200-volt overhead power lines during construction of a five-story building in Valley Stream. In addition, crane operations were reportedly allowed to occur near the live power lines. General contractor Vordonia Contracting and Supplies Corporation and subcontractors Masonry Services Incorporated and North Eastern Precast, LLC received more than $465,000 in total proposed fines.

OSHA issued willful violations to each company for the purported electrocution hazards. A willful violation is one that occurs with knowing or voluntary disregard for health and safety laws. The three contractors also received serious citations for their reported failure to place warning signs near the power lines. A serious violation is one that is substantially likely to result in death or serious physical harm to a worker. Additionally, Masonry Services Incorporated and North Eastern Precast, LLC received serious violations for their purported failure to adequately train employees about electrocution hazards, failure to assume the electrical lines were live, failure to correspond with local utilities regarding the electrical lines, failure to ensure construction cranes were adequately inspected, and failure to provide workers with adequate protective gear. Masonry Services Incorporated also received a repeat violation for the company's alleged failure to guard rebar used in laying concrete. A repeat violation occurs when an employer or company is cited for a substantially similar health or safety violation more than once in a five-year-period.

Thankfully, no one was killed at this allegedly unsafe construction site. Still, workers in the construction industry face dangerous working environments on a daily basis. Construction site accidents seriously hurt or kill thousands of workers throughout the country every year. Despite that workplace injuries in New York are usually subject to state workers' compensation laws, a third party may also be held liable for failing to utilize appropriate health and safety precautions. If you were injured or someone you love died at a New York construction site, you should contact an experienced personal injury lawyer.

Contact the caring personal injury and accident law attorneys at Korngut Paleudis LLC if you suffered an injury at a construction site in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut. Our capable lawyers are available to help you recover the financial compensation you deserve based upon the severity of your harm. Our quality advocates have more than 45 years of experience helping clients who are located in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. To speak with a knowledgeable attorney about your personal injury claim, please contact Korngut Paleudis LLC through the law firm's website or give us a call at (212) 835-6768 in New York City or (609) 480-3080 in Princeton, New Jersey.

Additional Resources:

OSHA Cites Three New York Contractors for Electrocution Hazards at Long Island Worksite, forconstructionpros.com