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.
Were you or a loved one injured in a window washing accident?
The window washing trade is lucrative in New York City and many other parts of the state, but it can also be extremely dangerous. Due to the unique safety needs of the window washing profession, there are special window washing unions and associations, such as the International Window Cleaning Association, which lobbies and sets safety standards and procedures for window washers.
The reason for many window washing accidents and deaths is poor training by employers and faulty equipment. Often, window washers attach their safety lines to drain covers, HVAC units, old masonry, or other ill-suited anchor points, and the consequences are catastrophic. Employers should ensure that employees tie off on approved anchorage points by showing and explaining to them which anchor points are firmly secure and capable of supporting their weight. According to OSHA standards, an anchorage point for a lifeline must be capable of supporting a minimum dead weight of 5,400 pounds. While eyebeams, eyelets, ridge beams, and roof trusses generally provide acceptable support, many window washing victims have fallen to their deaths because their lifelines were not firmly secured to an acceptable anchor point. Many accidents could be avoided if building owners were required to retrofit old buildings with permanent anchorage points.
Window washing companies should design, develop and implement safety programs that include training in the proper use of approved rigging and fall protection devices such as suspension rigging, rope access, fall protection body harnesses, hoists, platforms and work cages. Companies should also have designated safety officers to spearhead window washing safety programs and conduct jobsite safety meetings. These meetings should cover recognition and avoidance of fall hazards, the proper selection of personal protection equipment and anchorage points, and what to do in the event that there is no apparent safe way to complete a job. Employers should provide window washing employees with approved suspension equipment. Often, suspension systems used for construction work are unsuitable for window washing, such as the botswains chair-like descent system. The American National Standards Institute adopted the ASME Standard A39.1-1987 11.3 which prohibits the use of emergency descent equipment for window cleaning. Employers should ensure that employees use approved and safe descent systems for window washing.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a window washing accident, please click here for a free, confidential, no-obligation case evaluation by a qualified New York personal 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.
