What To Do If Your Construction Site is Unsafe

A construction site in the Bronx, ranked as “one of the worst sites in the city,” was finally shut down last month for repeated safety violations. According to eye witnesses, workers on the 7-story building were regularly seen performing high-risk work, such as carrying heavy buckets or stones along the edge of the building, without the appropriate safety gear.

Months before the shutdown concerned local residents repeatedly complained about the dangerous site. In response, the city slapped the sites with thousands of dollars of fines and even fired the General Contractor, yet these unsafe practices continued until the city finally issued a Stop Work order.

That those responsible for this site allowed their workers to risk their lives in this manner is absolutely inexcusable. It is only a matter of luck that no worker suffered injuries – or died – at this worksite.

The Law Offices of Ivan M. Diamond has helped countless construction accident victims and their families file personal injury claims to recover the compensation they deserve. We are happy to do so – but wish that the accidents never occurred in the first place.

To stop construction injuries before they happen, we urge workers laboring under unsafe conditions to report their unsafe work site to the authorities.

Construction Workers Have the Right to a Safe Workplace

Under Federal law, all workers have the right to a safe workplace: your employer must provide a workplace “free of known health and safety hazards.”

Although the construction is inherently dangerous, construction workers’ employers have a responsibility to make the site as safe as possible. For example, according to Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) workers have the right to:

Receive training in a language you understand
Work on machines that are safe
Receive required safety gear
Be protected from toxic chemicals
Request an OSHA inspection and speak to the inspector
Get copies of test results done to find hazards in the workplace

(For the full list, see the OSHA website).

If the site owners and managers fail to make the construction site safe, construction workers have the right to report the conditions to the proper authorities – without fear of retaliation.

Reporting An Unsafe Construction Site

You can file a complaint with OSHA three ways:

File an OSHA Compaint Online

You can fill out and submit this online form. Although you are required to put your name on the form, you may elect NOT to have your name revealed to your employer. You should also note that written complaints that are signed and submitted to an OSHA Regional Office are more likely to result in an onsite OSHA inspection.

File an OSHA Compaint by Fax or Mail

Download and complete the online form, then mail it to your OSHA Regional Office. New York City’s two regional offices are:

Manhattan Area Office
201 Varick Street Room: 908
New York, NY 10014
(212) 620-3200
(212) 620-4121 FAX

Queens District Office of the Manhattan Area Office
45-17 Marathon Parkway
Little Neck, NY 11362
(718) 279-9060
(718) 279-9057 FAX

File an OSHA Compaint by Telephone

You can call your local OSHA offices at the numbers listed above to discuss your complaint. For emergencies and life-threatening situations, you can also call 1-800-321-OSHA.

Talk to a Bronx Construction Accident Attorney

If you or someone you love has been injured in a construction accident, please contact Ivan M. Diamond to tell us your story.

Our firm is ready to help you pursue a winning personal injury case – and we charge you nothing unless you win.