The New York Work Injury Accident Attorneys and Workers Compensation Lawyers of Parker Waichman Alonso LLP are here to Help You
The New York work injury accident attorneys and workers compensation lawyers at Parker Waichman Alonso LLP have a great deal of experience representing the victims of a wide variety of work related accidents, including ladder accidents, scaffolding accidents and window washing accidents. Our accident injury lawyers and workers compensation attorneys know how emotionally and financially devastating work injury accidents can be. Our New York workers compensation attorneys are committed to making sure the victims of work-related accidents have full access to the workers compensation benefits they are entitled to. But beyond that, the New York work accident lawyers at our firm will thoroughly investigate your case to insure that you receive compensation from all of the entities responsible for your work injuries. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a work injury, we urge you to contact one of the New York work accident attorneys at Parker Waichman Alonso LLP immediately. Our compassionate and committed work injury accident lawyers are dedicated to helping the victims of work-related accidents get their lives back on track.
Have you been injured in a scaffolding accident?
Scaffolding accidents typically result from improper construction or negligent maintenance of the scaffolding. It is estimated that 10,000 of the 500,000 injuries that occur annually on construction work sites are scaffolding accidents. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has strict regulations concerning the proper assembly and usage of scaffolds, as well as the training of workers on scaffolds and the rescue of workers when needed. Often, the erector and/or laborer perceive certain components as unnecessary or too expensive to rent or buy, resulting in a scaffold that does not comply with OSHA standards.
The most common scaffold components that are not used are:
Base Plates and Mud Sills: Base plates and mud sills are required on all scaffolds. Also, the surface on which the mud sills are placed must be capable of supporting the loaded scaffold without settling. In some cases it may be necessary to compact the soil before setting up the scaffold.
Scaffold Ties: The first tie must be installed at the horizontal member of the frame closest to the 4:1 base to height ratio. If you are utilizing 5-feet wide frames, the first tie should be installed at the horizontal member of the frame as close to the 20-feet height as possible. After the initial tie is installed, subsequent ties must be installed at height intervals not to exceed 26 feet. Also, ties must be installed at each end of the scaffold and at horizontal intervals not to exceed 30 feet. All ties should be capable of withstanding a "push" or "pull" force of 2,500 pounds. Additional ties may be necessary when enclosing a scaffold or when the scaffold is subject to high winds.
Side Brackets: Side brackets should never be used for material loading or storage. Load capacity of the side brackets should be checked (typically 500 pounds), and they should not be overloaded. When determining the load on a particular bracket, the area of .5 of the bay on each side of the bracket should be included. Side brackets should be secured against uplift by either pinning (if holes are provided) or wiring to the frame.
Guard Railing: This should be complete with both top rails and mid rails. Current OSHA scaffold codes require fall protection on all scaffolds where the user is exposed to a fall of 10 feet or more to a lower level. When using guard railing to satisfy the fall protection requirement, it must be installed with a top rail height of between 38 inches and 45 inches above the work platform. Mid rails must be installed approximately midway between the top rails and the work platform. Also, all top rails must be able to withstand a force of 200 pounds in any downward or horizontal direction. Guard rail panels on the side brackets at each end of the scaffold are required.
Toeboards: Current OSHA scaffold codes require toeboards on all sides of the work platform at heights of 10 feet or greater. Toeboards must be a minimum of 3.5 inches high and be able to withstand a force of at least 50 pounds applied in any downward or horizontal direction.Work Platform Decking: OSHA requires all work levels to be completely decked. The OSHA chart should be followed to determine platform load capacity when using plank. When manufactured plank or decks are used, the rated load capacity should not be exceeded. Also All planks/platforms should be properly inspected before installing, and once installed, checked for proper overlap of the planks.
Fastening (Lock) Pins: The most popular types are snap pins, gravity pigtail pins, and hinge pins. These are recommended at all frame connections, especially if hoisting material from the platform level.
Often construction workers are urged to work quickly and overlook these important parts in order to complete a job faster. Contractors, subcontractors and construction companies may be found negligent in many scaffolding accidents. Furthermore, scaffold manufacturers may be found liable if their product is not made to OSHA standards. The New York work injury lawyers and workers compensation attorneys at Parker Waichman Alonso LLP are experienced and successful in representing scaffolding accident victims due to our unique and in depth knowledge of negligence issues, construction and labor laws, worker’s compensation laws and product defect laws.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a scaffolding accident, please click here for
a free, confidential, no-obligation case evaluation by a qualified work injury attorney. The New York work injury and workers compensation lawyers at Parker Waichman Alonso LLP are ready to help you get the compensation you deserve.
